It is a curious fact that the ancestor of the numerous Beekman family in New York, after whom Beekman Street is named, was for a time one of the Dutch governors on the Delaware who afterwards became the sheriff of Esopus, New York.His successor on the Delaware had some thoughts of removing the capital down to Odessa on the Appoquinimink, when an event long dreaded happened.In 1664, war broke out between England and Holland, long rivals in trade and commerce, and all the Dutch possessions in the New World fell an easy prey to English conquerors.A British fleet took possession of New Amsterdam, which surrendered without a struggle.But when two British men of war under Sir Robert Carr appeared before New Amstel on the Delaware, Governor D'Hinoyossa unwisely resisted; and his untenable fort was quickly subdued by a few broadsides and a storming party.This opposition gave the conquering party, according to the custom of the times, the right to plunder; and it must be confessed that the English soldiers made full use of their opportunity.They plundered the town and confiscated the land of prominent citizens for the benefit of the officers of the expedition.
After the English conquest on the Delaware, not a few of the Dutch migrated to Maryland, where their descendants, it is said, are still to be found.Some in later years returned to the Delaware, where on the whole, notwithstanding the early confiscations, English rule seemed to promise well.The very first documents, the terms of surrender both on the Delaware and on the Hudson, breathed an air of Anglo-Saxon freedom.Everybody was at liberty to come and go at will.Hollanders could migrate to the Delaware or to New York as much as before.The Dutch soldiers in the country, if they wished to remain, were to have fifty acres of land apiece.This generous settlement seemed in striking contrast to the pinching, narrow interference with trade and individual rights, the seizures and confiscations for private gain, all under pretense of punishment, bad enough on the Delaware but worse at New Amsterdam, which had characterized the rule of the Dutch.
The Duke of York, to whom Delaware was given, introduced trial by jury, settled private titles, and left undisturbed the religion and local customs of the people.But the political rule of the Duke was absolute as became a Stuart.He arbitrarily taxed exports and imports.Executive, judicial, and legislative powers were all vested in his deputy governor at New York or in creatures appointed and controlled by him.It was the sort of government the Duke hoped to impose upon all Great Britain when he should come to the throne, and he was trying his 'prentice hand in the colonies.A political rebellion against this despotism was started on the Delaware by a man named Konigsmarke, or the Long Finn, aided by an Englishman, Henry Coleman.They were captured and tried for treason, their property was confiscated, and the Long Finn branded with the letter R, and sold as a slave in the Barbados.They might be called the first martyrs to foreshadow the English Revolution of 1688 which ended forever the despotic reign of the Stuarts.
The Swedes continued to form the main body of people on the Delaware under the regime of the Duke of York, and at the time when William Penn took possession of the country in 1682 their settlements extended from New Castle up through Christina, Marcus Hook, Upland (now Chester), Tinicum, Kingsessing in the modern West Philadelphia, Passyunk, Wicaco, both in modern Philadelphia, and as far up the river as Frankford and Pennypack.They had their churches at Christina, Tinicum, Kingsessing, and Wicaco.
The last, when absorbed by Philadelphia, was a pretty little hamlet on the river shore, its farms belonging to a Swedish family called Swanson whose name is now borne by one of the city's streets.Across the river in New Jersey, opposite Chester, the Swedes had settlements on Raccoon Creek and round Swedesboro.
These river settlements constituted an interesting and from all accounts a very attractive Scandinavian community.Their strongest bond of union seems to have been their interest in their Lutheran churches on the river.They spread very little into the interior, made few roads, and lived almost exclusively on the river or on its navigable tributaries.One reason they gave for this preference was that it was easier to reach the different churches by boat.
There were only about a thousand Swedes along the Delaware and possibly five hundred of Dutch and mixed blood, together with a few English, all living a life of abundance on a fine river amid pleasing scenery, with good supplies of fish and game, a fertile soil, and a wilderness of opportunity to the west of them.All were well pleased to be relieved from the stagnant despotism of the Duke of York and to take part in the free popular government of William Penn in Pennsylvania.They became magistrates and officials, members of the council and of the legislature.They soon found that all their avenues of trade and life were quickened.They passed from mere farmers supplying their own needs to exporters of the products of their farms.
