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Language, Church, Material Culture, and Identity among Eighteenth-Century Swedish Descendant Communities in the Delaware Valley Region

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Abstract

Historical ethnography of Morlatton Village in southeast Pennsylvania may prove to be a fruitful approach to understanding second- and third-generation Swedish colonists in the Delaware Valley. Morlatton Village was settled by Swedish, Finnish, English, and German colonists, and appears to have had close ties to the Lenape. Swedes and Finns continued to arrive in the Delaware Valley well after the official end of Swedish rule in 1655, and its population rose from under 400 to over 1,200 by the year 1700. The Swedish Crown continued to supply ordained ministers and Swedish religious books well into the 18th century, and, by the eve of the American Revolution, there were still at least some Swedish speakers living in the Delaware Valley (Craig and Williams 2006, 2008, 2009). Ultimately, the Swedes continued to intermarry with English and German settlers, their churches became Episcopalian, and they ceased to be perceived as a distinct community. Historical records, archaeology, material culture, and aspects of the built environment may prove to be among the entangled threads making up this dynamic community. Insights may shed light on the cultural processes at work in the multicultural communities that characterized the colonial Middle Atlantic.

Resumen

La etnografía histórica del pueblo llamado Morlatton Village en el sureste de Pensilvania puede resultar ser un enfoque fructífero para comprender a los colonos suecos de segunda y tercera generación en el valle de Delaware. Morlatton Village fue colonizado por colonos suecos, finlandeses, ingleses y alemanes, y parece haber tenido estrechos vínculos con los lenape. Los suecos y finlandeses continuaron llegando al valle de Delaware mucho después del fin oficial del dominio sueco en 1655, y su población aumentó de menos de 400 a más de 1200 en el año 1700. La Corona sueca continuó suministrando ministros ordenados y libros religiosos suecos durante gran parte del siglo XVIII y, en vísperas de la Revolución Americana, todavía había al menos algunos hablantes de sueco viviendo en el valle de Delaware (Craig y Williams 2006, 2008, 2009). Finalmente, los suecos continuaron casándose con colonos ingleses y alemanes, sus iglesias se convirtieron en episcopales y dejaron de ser percibidos como una comunidad distinta. Los registros históricos, la arqueología, la cultura material y los aspectos del entorno construido pueden resultar ser algunos de los hilos enredados que componen esta comunidad dinámica. Los conocimientos pueden arrojar luz sobre los procesos culturales que operan en las comunidades multiculturales que caracterizaron el Atlántico Medio colonial.

Résumé

L'ethnographie historique du Village de Morlatton dans la Pennsylvanie du sud-est peut se révéler être une approche fructueuse pour comprendre les colons suédois de seconde et troisième génération dans la Vallée du Delaware. Le village de Morlatton a été fondé par des colons suédois, finnois, anglais et allemands et il semble qu'il a entretenu des liens étroits avec les natifs Lenape. Les Suédois et les Finnois ont continué d'arriver dans la Vallée du Delaware bien après la fin officielle du gouvernement suédois en 1655, et sa population est passée de 400 membres à plus de 1 200 en l'an 1700. La Couronne suédoise a continué d'envoyer des pasteurs ordonnés et des livres religieux suédois pendant la plus grande partie du 18ème siècle et à la veille de la Révolution américaine, il se trouvait encore au moins quelques locuteurs suédois résidant dans la Vallée du Delaware (Craig et Williams 2006, 2008, 2009). À terme, les Suédois ont continué de se marier avec des colons anglais et allemands, leurs églises sont devenues Episcopaliennes et ils ont cessé d'être perçus comme une communauté distincte. Les registres historiques, l'archéologie, la culture matérielle et les aspects de l'environnement bâti peuvent se révéler faire partie des liens entrecroisés ayant tissé cette communauté dynamique. Ces contributions peuvent faire la lumière sur les processus culturels à l'œuvre au sein des communautés multi-culturelles ayant caractérisé le Mid-Atlantic colonial.

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  1. Historic Preservation Office, Montgomery County Planning Department, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, 2425 Reedie Drive, Wheaton, MD, 20902, U.S.A.

    Brian D. Crane

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Crane, B.D. Language, Church, Material Culture, and Identity among Eighteenth-Century Swedish Descendant Communities in the Delaware Valley Region. Hist Arch 56, 104–130 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41636-021-00312-5

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