History: Swedesboro, NJ

Swedesboro is situated on the south side of Raccoon Creek, about 5 miles from its mouth. It is an enclave within Woolwich Township, located 10 miles from Woodbury, NJ and about 18 miles from Camden. Swedesboro is one of only two Swedish settlements in New Jersey, along with Bridgeport.

What is now known as the Borough of Swedesboro, was originally part of the colony named New Sweden, and was made up of Finnish and Swedish settlers [the present nation of Finland was then a part of Sweden]. From 1638 until 1656 the land along both shores of the Delaware River was the colony’s territory, and ships continued to bring additional settlers, ruled by royal governors. One of these royal governor’s Johann Printz, built his capital, “Printzdorf” on Tinicum Island. In a map of the Delaware River and adjacent parts, published by Lindstom soon after his visit to this country in 1642, a station or settlement is noted as being in existence on Raccoon Creek. The Swedes and Finns traded with the Indians, and sent furs, tobacco and other products back to Sweden, while developing farming, building churches and homes, and making a small but successful colony in the New World.

An early name for the area of Swedesboro was Raccoon, so named for the Creek in the same vicinity. For many years the Swedes and Finns on the New Jersey side made the trip to Ft. Christina near Wilmington Delaware to attend Church.

In 1701- a young preacher, Lars Tollstadius arrived in New Sweden, and he urged the building of a church at Raccoon.

In 1703- the church at was Racoon completed. It was a cedar log structure and called the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church at Raccoon. It was the first Swedish church built in New Jersey, and stood near the site of the present Episcopal Church.

In the same year (1703) Kings Highway from Burlington finally reached the vicinity of Racoon Creek. Now the town began to grow faster.

On 29 July 1739- some Swedesboro residents of “Rackcown Creek” signed a bible, including: Elias Thomas, William Neville, John Rumford, Richard Pratt, George Howox, Michal Conshee, Morris Connor, Thomas Ferril, John Plumly, Jacob Richman, Francis Batten, William Estlacke, Jonathan Beaton, William Webster and Brian Ward.

The first church erected by the Moravians at Oliphant’s Mill in 1747 was a log one about 3 miles south of the center of Swedesboro. This was replaced in 1786 with the present building.

In 1748- botanist, Peter Kalm, student of Linnaeus, traveled to Philadelphia, PA. He traveled to Raccoon, NJ on November 20, 1748. In the diary of his travels he wrote of the many American sycamores planted in great numbers on the dikes of earth along the Delaware River in the area. He stayed overnight with the Swede Peter Rambo. He subsequently stayed with a deacon of the Swedish church, Eric Ragnilsson. On November 24 he wrote that he had continued his journey past the Swedish church in Raccoon to Pilesgrove. He attended services in Raccoon, NJ, and subsituted in the pulpit when Johan Sandin their pastor died.

Photograph of Grand Sprute, taken by Chad G. Nichols in December 2007

In 1756- a brick farm house was built on a side road off Route 322, two miles west of the intersection of US322 and County Road 551 in Woolwich Township. First known as the Grand Sprute Plantation house is also known as the Vanleer-Black-Schorn home. It was used as a trading post for Native Peoples and European settlers alike. The outer walls of the Grand Sprute Plantation House are 14 inches thick. Four corner fireplaces are intact on the first floor.

Photograph of Mortonson-Schorn Log Cabin, taken by Chad G. Nichols in December 2007

Formerly located on the Grande Sprute property (above) was the Mortenson-VanLeer aka “Schorn” Log Cabin that was later donated to the Gloucester County Historical Society, and removed to the Swedesboro Episocopal Churchyard. This is a private home. In 1765- residents changed the name of the town to Swedesboro.

The present Episcopal Church was erected in 1784, (as a Swedish Lutheran Church) at which time the log church was taken down. At this period there were about a dozen dwellings built, mostly of logs. Jonas Auren appears to have been the first pastor; he was then appointed in 1697, and died in 1713. He was succeeded by Abraham Lidenius in 1714, which remained until 1724, when he returned to Sweden. Petrus Tranberg and Andreas Windrufwa were sent over in 1726; they divided the churches between them, and so continued until 1728, when Windrufwa died. John Sandin, the next pastor, was appointed in 1748, and died over the next year. He was succeeded by John Lidenius in 1756. John Wicksell, the next pastor arrived in 1762, returned in 1774, and was succeeded by Nicholas Collin in 1778, a native of Upsal, in Sweden.

Dr. Collin was the last of the Swedish ministers who officiated at Swedesboro. In July, 1786, he was rector of Wicaco (in Philadelphia) and the churches in connection. Dr. Collin translated “Acrelius’ History of New Sweden,” which he undertook in 1799 at the request of the Historical Society of New York, in whose possession it now remains.

Buried in the church yard cemetery is Eric P. Mullica for whom the Mullica River is named. In the mid-1600s, he came with a group of settlers to Raccoon but did not stay long. He moved farther inland to the banks of the Little Egg Harbor River. He established a community on the river called Lower Bank, at Mullica Hill. Also buried in this cemetery (now of Trinity Church) are Colonel Bodo Otto, Colonel Thomas Heston, Colonel Robert Brown, Captain John Daniels, and others of Revolutionary fame.