Trinity Episcopal "Old Swedes" Church: History

Trinity Church was originally a Swedish Lutheran Parish. From 1703 to 1786, it was served by clergy sent from Sweden. Prior to 1703, when the land for Trinity Church was purchased, there had been intermittent services at Raccoon (Swedesboro), led by Reverend Eric Bjork from Christina (Wilmington) and Reverend Andreas Rudman from Wicaco (Philadelphia), supplemented by Hans Stalt, the Raccoon schoolteacher. The Reverend Lars Tollstadius had arrived (with dubious credentials) from Sweden in 1701; the people of Raccoon were desperate for residential clergy, and hired him without official sanction. The church met in a small log building, overlooking the creek. (Note: It was the Swedes and Finns who brought log cabin building to America).

Lars Tollstadius 1702/3-1706
Jonas Auren 1706/7-1713
Abraham Lindenius (Penns Neck) 1713/4-1723/4
Peter Tranberg 1726-1740/41
Dominus Malander1741-42*
Johan Sandin 1748
Peter Kalm 1748-49*
Eric Mathias Unander 1749/51-1756
Johan Lidenius 1756-1762
John Wicksell 1762-1773
Nicholas Collin 1770-1786

Tollstadius stayed in the area for less than 5 years, but during that time he was the center of incessant strife and wrangling; yet it was during this time that the land was bought and our parish formally founded, the log church being dedicated on the third Sunday after Trinity, 1705. However, Tollstadius' indiscretions caught up with him. He was accused of having an affair with a parishioner's daughter, and was indicted. However, in 1706, before the case could go to trial in Burlington, he fell out of a canoe on his way home from Philadelphia, and was drowned.

Tollstadius was succeded by Reverend Jonas Auren; the parish's history for the next 70-odd years was less colorful.

Notes from the Parish meeting on February 2, 1728:
"The Congregation were admonished to lay aside the bad habit of running in and out of the Church during the sermon."

"To make frequent use of the Holy Supper, and not to neglect it, as very many had done."

Auren brought with him a young relative Carl Brunjen, a schoolteacher, and by the end of 1706, a school had been established in town.

In 1713, the churches at Raccoon and Penn's Neck were effectively combined, sharing a single minister. This arrangement continued intermittently for the next half century. There was constant bickering between the two churches over who should pay the minister and how much, so much so, that at times the minister went hungry. There were also constant problems with hogs breaking through the graveyard fence.

In 1731, a silver communion chalice and paten were procured. These are still in use for major feasts.

In 1744, a division occurred in the parish, when a number of parishioners left to join the Moravian church, newly established at Oldmans Creek — this was during a period when there was no minister at Trinity.

Johan Sandlin was sent in 1748 with orders to revive the Swedish faith and language — intermarriages between the Swedes and their Finnish, German and English neighbors had resulted in the loss of both language and traditions. However he died before he could have any significant influence.

Peter Kalm, a naturalist from the University of Åbo in Swedish-speaking Finland, who visited Sveaborg (Swedesboro) in 1748-1749. His visit coincided with the untimely death of the rector, Johan Sandin. Kalm supplied the congregation for a year as a layman and married Sandin's widow before his return to Finland and ordination in the Church. His description of the flora of America and his diary are a primary source for knowledge of New Sweden and its inhabitants. He wrote: "On [one] occasion, as a sermon was preached in the Swedish Church at Raccoon, an Indian came in, looked about him, and after listening a while to the preacher, he said, ‘Ugh! A lot of prattle and nonsense, but neither brandy, nor cider,' and went out again."

By 1762, when John Wicksell began his ministry, services alternated between English and Swedish, although his English was not good. In 1765 the parish was granted an English charter.

The last of the Swedish minsters was Nicholas (Nils) Collin, who came to Raccoon as assistant to Wicksell in1770, and who was appointed Rector in 1773.


	Who are we? Welcome Community People Families and Kids History What do we do? Worship Sermons Music Other Activities What's Happening? Events Newsletter What else do I need to know? Location Contact Us Glossary Links	History: The Parish's Beginning. . . Trinity Church was originally a Swedish Lutheran Parish. From 1703 to 1786, it was served by clergy sent from Sweden. Prior to 1703, when the land for Trinity Church was purchased, there had been intermittent services at Raccoon (Swedesboro), led by Reverend Eric Bjork from Christina (Wilmington) and Reverend Andreas Rudman from Wicaco (Philadelphia), supplemented by Hans Stalt, the Raccoon schoolteacher. The Reverend Lars Tollstadius had arrived (with dubious credentials) from Sweden in 1701; the people of Raccoon were desperate for residential clergy, and hired him without official sanction. The church met in a small log building, overlooking the creek. (Note: It was the Swedes and Finns who brought log cabin building to America). Swedish Ministers at Trinity 1703-1786 Lars Tollstadius 1702/3-1706 Jonas Auren 1706/7-1713 Abraham Lindenius (Penns Neck) 1713/4-1723/4 Peter Tranberg 1726-1740/41 Dominus Malander1741-42* Johan Sandin 1748 Peter Kalm 1748-49* Eric Mathias Unander 1749/51-1756 Johan Lidenius 1756-1762 John Wicksell 1762-1773 Nicholas Collin 1770-1786 *Lay preachers/teachers Tollstadius stayed in the area for less than 5 years, but during that time he was the center of incessant strife and wrangling; yet it was during this time that the land was bought and our parish formally founded, the log church being dedicated on the third Sunday after Trinity, 1705. However, Tollstadius' indiscretions caught up with him. He was accused of having an affair with a parishioner's daughter, and was indicted. However, in 1706, before the case could go to trial in Burlington, he fell out of a canoe on his way home from Philadelphia, and was drowned. Tollstadius was succeded by Reverend Jonas Auren; the parish's history for the next 70-odd years was less colorful. Notes from the Parish meeting on February 2, 1728: "The Congregation were admonished to lay aside the bad habit of running in and out of the Church during the sermon." "To make frequent use of the Holy Supper, and not to neglect it, as very many had done." Some highlights: Auren brought with him a young relative Carl Brunjen, a schoolteacher, and by the end of 1706, a school had been established in town. In 1713, the churches at Raccoon and Penn's Neck were effectively combined, sharing a single minister. This arrangement continued intermittently for the next half century. There was constant bickering between the two churches over who should pay the minister and how much, so much so, that at times the minister went hungry. There were also constant problems with hogs breaking through the graveyard fence. In 1731, a silver communion chalice and paten were procured. These are still in use for major feasts. In 1744, a division occurred in the parish, when a number of parishioners left to join the Moravian church, newly established at Oldmans Creek — this was during a period when there was no minister at Trinity. Johan Sandlin was sent in 1748 with orders to revive the Swedish faith and language — intermarriages between the Swedes and their Finnish, German and English neighbors had resulted in the loss of both language and traditions. However he died before he could have any significant influence. Peter Kalm, a naturalist from the University of Åbo in Swedish-speaking Finland, who visited Sveaborg (Swedesboro) in 1748-1749. His visit coincided with the untimely death of the rector, Johan Sandin. Kalm supplied the congregation for a year as a layman and married Sandin's widow before his return to Finland and ordination in the Church. His description of the flora of America and his diary are a primary source for knowledge of New Sweden and its inhabitants. He wrote: "On [one] occasion, as a sermon was preached in the Swedish Church at Raccoon, an Indian came in, looked about him, and after listening a while to the preacher, he said, ‘Ugh! A lot of prattle and nonsense, but neither brandy, nor cider,' and went out again." By 1762, when John Wicksell began his ministry, services alternated between English and Swedish, although his English was not good. In 1765 the parish was granted an English charter. The last of the Swedish minsters was Nicholas (Nils) Collin, who came to Raccoon as assistant to Wicksell in1770, and who was appointed Rector in 1773.