History of Delaware County - Ashmead, Ch. II, (Page 6)

Chapter II

geance fall on the ships and goods, and the virtuous people that were on board."¹
This statement is in direct conflict with the report of Governor Printz in 1647, for therein he asked instruction for the home authorities "how long the criminals must serve for their crimes,"² and is told that nothing definite can be prescribed respecting that matter, that it is left to his discretion, but those who reform and perform their duty satisfactorily may be allowed the same wages as other free people. "But those who go on in the same wrong way as before and do not exhibit any improvement may have their punishment increased by you, Sir Governor, or may continue to serve without wages."³
The voluntary emigrants to New Sweden were of two classes, the freemen, those who were privileged to settle where they chose in the colony and to return to the mother-country at pleasure, and the company's servants, those who were employed at stipulated wages for a designated term. "There was a third, consisting of vagabonds and malefactors; these went to remain in slavery, and were employed in digging the earth, throwing up trenches, and erecting walls and other fortifications. The others had no intercourse with them, but a particular spot was appointed for them to reside upon.⁴
The first year under Printz's administration many of the settlers died, which the Governor states was due to hard work and the scarcity of food.⁵ In four years thereafter (1647) we learn from the report furnished the home government that the total number of whites in the Swedish settlements on the Delaware was one hundred and eighty-three souls. Twenty-eight of the freemen had made settlements, and part of them were provided with oxen and cows. Tobacco seems to have been chiefly the crop grown, for in the return cargo of the "Golden Shark," in that year, was six thousand nine hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco, grown in New Sweden, the rest having been purchased from Virginia. To stimulate this project those persons who cultivated land were exempted by the home government for ten years from taxation. A grist-mill had been erected by Printz in 1643, about a quarter of a mile in the woods at "Kara Kung," otherwise called the Water-Mill stream, "a fine mill, which ground both fine and course flour, and was going early and late. It was the first that was seen in that country."⁶ This mill was located on Crum Creek, and the holes sunk in the rocks to receive the posts supporting the frame-work are still to be seen, near the Blue Bell Tavern, on the Darby Road.⁷ Townsend Ward⁸ tells us that in front of the old portion of the Blue Bell Tavern "is a carriage stepping-stone of considerable historical importance, for it is, perhaps, one of the first millstones used in what is now the territory of Pennsylvania, and was in use before Penn's arrival. The stone is circular in form, with a square hole through its centre. Not far from the inn, and in the bed of the creek, only a few feet west of the old King's (Queen's) road bridge, may be seen the holes, drilled in the rocks, in which were inserted the supports of the ancient mill wherein the stone was used. Mr. Aubrey H. Smith remembers finding, when a boy, a piece of lead weighing seventeen pounds, that had evidently been run, when melted, around an inserted post." Printz was much pleased with the mill, "which runs the whole year, to the great advantage of the country, particularly as the windmill, formerly here before I came, would never work, and was good for nothing."⁹ Not only had he built this needed public improvement, but had caused some waterfalls to be examined as a site for saw- mills below the dam of the grist-mill, as well as three other places where oak-timber grew plentiful. But as he was without the saw-blades, and no person in the colony understood the management of such an establishment, Printz suggested to the home government that it would be worth considering, as a good trade in planking, pipe-staves, and timber could be made with the West Indies and other points, provided a proper vessel was kept in New Sweden to transport those articles to market.¹⁰
It is not my purpose to relate the history of the difficulties and trials which Printz had to contend with from the encroachments of the Dutch and English in their efforts to make a lodgement on the Delaware. That he was insolent in his manner to those whom he regarded as intruders on the Swedish territory cannot be questioned, if the statement of his enemies is to be credited. Hudde tells us that Printz replied to his

¹ Campanius, "New Sweden," p. 73.
² Penna. Mag. of History, vol. vii. p. 277.
³ Count Oxenstierna's reply to Printz, Penna. Mag. of History, vol. vii. p. 283. In fact, we have reason to believe that during all our colonial history criminals were sent to the American plantations. In a series of articles on crimes and criminals, published in the New Castle (England) Weekly Chronicle, in 1883, the author says, "The statute of 39 Elizabeth was converted by James I. into an Act of Transportation to America, by a letter to the treasurer and council of Virginia, in the year 1619, commanding them 'to send 100 dissolute persons to Virginia, which the Knight Marshall would deliver to them for the purpose.' Transportation is not distictly mentioned by any English statute prior to Charles II., which gives a power to the judges, at their discretion, 'either to execute or transport to America for life the mosstroopers of Cumberland.' This mode of punishment, however, was not commonly practices until the reign of George I. The courts were then, by Act of Parliament, allowed a discretionary power to order felons to be transported to the American plantations. This lasted from 1718 to the decalaration of American independence in 1776." The importation of criminals into this colony in the character of redemption servants, who were purchased from the officers in England, became such a public evil that on Feb. 14, 1729-30, the General Assembly by statute forbade masters of vessels, under heavy fines, landing such persons in the province, and extended the penalties to merchants who should import, sell, or dispose of such convicts in the province in violation of the act.
⁴ Campanius, "New Sweden," p. 73.
⁵ Printz's Report, Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 272.
⁶ Campanius, p. 81. Of course the statement applies to the first mill run by water. We know, from Printz's report, that a windmill had preceded it.
⁷ Record of Upland Court, p. 88.
⁸ "A Walk to Darby," Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. iii. p. 262.
⁹ Report for 1647, Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 274.
¹⁰ Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 279.

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Chapter II

	geance fall on the ships and goods, and the virtuous people that were on board."¹ This statement is in direct conflict with the report of Governor Printz in 1647, for therein he asked instruction for the home authorities "how long the criminals must serve for their crimes,"² and is told that nothing definite can be prescribed respecting that matter, that it is left to his discretion, but those who reform and perform their duty satisfactorily may be allowed the same wages as other free people. "But those who go on in the same wrong way as before and do not exhibit any improvement may have their punishment increased by you, Sir Governor, or may continue to serve without wages."³ The voluntary emigrants to New Sweden were of two classes, the freemen, those who were privileged to settle where they chose in the colony and to return to the mother-country at pleasure, and the company's servants, those who were employed at stipulated wages for a designated term. "There was a third, consisting of vagabonds and malefactors; these went to remain in slavery, and were employed in digging the earth, throwing up trenches, and erecting walls and other fortifications. The others had no intercourse with them, but a particular spot was appointed for them to reside upon.⁴ The first year under Printz's administration many of the settlers died, which the Governor states was due to hard work and the scarcity of food.⁵ In four years thereafter (1647) we learn from the report furnished the home government that the total number of whites in the Swedish settlements on the Delaware was one hundred and eighty-three souls. Twenty-eight of the freemen had made settlements, and part of them were provided with oxen and cows. Tobacco seems to have been chiefly the crop grown, for in the return cargo of the "Golden Shark," in that year, was six thousand nine hundred and twenty pounds of tobacco, grown in New Sweden, the rest having been purchased from Virginia. To stimulate this project those persons who cultivated land were exempted by the home government for ten years from taxation. A grist-mill had been erected by Printz in 1643, about a quarter of a mile in the woods at "Kara Kung," otherwise called the Water-Mill stream, "a fine mill, which ground both fine and course flour, and was going early and late. It was the first that was seen in that country."⁶ This mill was located on Crum Creek, and the holes sunk in the rocks to receive the posts supporting the frame-work are still to be seen, near the Blue Bell Tavern, on the Darby Road.⁷ Townsend Ward⁸ tells us that in front of the old portion of the Blue Bell Tavern "is a carriage stepping-stone of considerable historical importance, for it is, perhaps, one of the first millstones used in what is now the territory of Pennsylvania, and was in use before Penn's arrival. The stone is circular in form, with a square hole through its centre. Not far from the inn, and in the bed of the creek, only a few feet west of the old King's (Queen's) road bridge, may be seen the holes, drilled in the rocks, in which were inserted the supports of the ancient mill wherein the stone was used. Mr. Aubrey H. Smith remembers finding, when a boy, a piece of lead weighing seventeen pounds, that had evidently been run, when melted, around an inserted post." Printz was much pleased with the mill, "which runs the whole year, to the great advantage of the country, particularly as the windmill, formerly here before I came, would never work, and was good for nothing."⁹ Not only had he built this needed public improvement, but had caused some waterfalls to be examined as a site for saw- mills below the dam of the grist-mill, as well as three other places where oak-timber grew plentiful. But as he was without the saw-blades, and no person in the colony understood the management of such an establishment, Printz suggested to the home government that it would be worth considering, as a good trade in planking, pipe-staves, and timber could be made with the West Indies and other points, provided a proper vessel was kept in New Sweden to transport those articles to market.¹⁰ It is not my purpose to relate the history of the difficulties and trials which Printz had to contend with from the encroachments of the Dutch and English in their efforts to make a lodgement on the Delaware. That he was insolent in his manner to those whom he regarded as intruders on the Swedish territory cannot be questioned, if the statement of his enemies is to be credited. Hudde tells us that Printz replied to his	¹ Campanius, "New Sweden," p. 73. ² Penna. Mag. of History, vol. vii. p. 277. ³ Count Oxenstierna's reply to Printz, Penna. Mag. of History, vol. vii. p. 283. In fact, we have reason to believe that during all our colonial history criminals were sent to the American plantations. In a series of articles on crimes and criminals, published in the New Castle (England) Weekly Chronicle, in 1883, the author says, "The statute of 39 Elizabeth was converted by James I. into an Act of Transportation to America, by a letter to the treasurer and council of Virginia, in the year 1619, commanding them 'to send 100 dissolute persons to Virginia, which the Knight Marshall would deliver to them for the purpose.' Transportation is not distictly mentioned by any English statute prior to Charles II., which gives a power to the judges, at their discretion, 'either to execute or transport to America for life the mosstroopers of Cumberland.' This mode of punishment, however, was not commonly practices until the reign of George I. The courts were then, by Act of Parliament, allowed a discretionary power to order felons to be transported to the American plantations. This lasted from 1718 to the decalaration of American independence in 1776." The importation of criminals into this colony in the character of redemption servants, who were purchased from the officers in England, became such a public evil that on Feb. 14, 1729-30, the General Assembly by statute forbade masters of vessels, under heavy fines, landing such persons in the province, and extended the penalties to merchants who should import, sell, or dispose of such convicts in the province in violation of the act. ⁴ Campanius, "New Sweden," p. 73. ⁵ Printz's Report, Penna. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 272. ⁶ Campanius, p. 81. Of course the statement applies to the first mill run by water. We know, from Printz's report, that a windmill had preceded it. ⁷ Record of Upland Court, p. 88. ⁸ "A Walk to Darby," Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. iii. p. 262. ⁹ Report for 1647, Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 274. ¹⁰ Penn. Mag. of Hist., vol. vii. p. 279.
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