Anders Bengtsson and his Bankson & Bankston Descendants

Qualification & Procedure List of Qualifying Forefathers Forefather Application Forefather Family Profiles List of Current Forefather Mambers	Anders Bengtsson and his Bankson & Bankston Descendants by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig Fellow, American Society of Genealogists Fellow, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania Historian, Swedish Colonial Society originally published in Swedish Colonial News, Volume 1, Number 20 (Fall 1999) The dedication of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes) Church in 1700 marked the realization of a lifetime dream for many of the members of the Swedes' church at Wicaco, but especially so for one of its old-timers, Anders Bengtsson, known to the English as Andrew Bankson. Anders Bengtsson, born in 1640 near Gothenburg, was a lad of 16 when he arrived in former New Sweden on the Mercurius in 1656. On 22 November 1668, he married Gertrude Rambo, the 18-year-old daughter of Peter Gunnarsson Rambo and Brita Matsdotter. The new couple established their home and farm at Moy-amensing along the Delaware River in present South Philadelphia. An industrious farmer, Bengtsson later expanded his holdings by periodic purchase of lands in adjoining Passyunk, fronting on the Schuylkill River, so that he owned well over 400 acres in South Philadelphia by 1694. Anders Bengtsson quickly rose to positions of prominence in the Swedish community. In 1681, he became a justice on the Upland Court and continued to serve on that court until it was abolished by the new Province of Pennsylvania in 1683. In that year, he served as a member of the first Assembly of Pennsylvania and witnessed the adoption of its Charter on 2 April 1683. He was elected to the Assembly in 1686. Meanwhile, Anders Bengtsson also served faithfully as a member of the Swedish log church at Wicaco, dedicated in 1677. He was a vestryman of that church by 1684 and continued in this capacity until 1702. His duties for that church increased when the minister, Jacobus Fabritius, became blind in 1682 and the sexton, Jacob Jungh, died in April 1686. To fill the void until replacements could be secured, Anders Bengtsson volunteered his services as lay reader for the congregation. On 30 August 1694, being "gravely sick and weak of body," Andrew Bankson wrote his final will and testament, bequeathing his property to his wife and children. But, he recovered his health. On 1 October 1695, perhaps in gratitude for his recovery, he sold 84 acres of his land at Passyunk to the church wardens at Wicaco for the use of the minister Jacobus Fabritius, "now superannuated," and such successors who might come thereafter. And come they did. Fabritius died in 1696, but as he was being buried, three new ministers were being dispatched by the King of Sweden to serve the Swedes on the Delaware. The senior pastor among them, Andreas Rudman, became the new minister at Wicaco. And Anders Bengtsson became one of his most stalwart supporters. When the new church, Gloria Dei, was dedicated in 1700, church warden Anders Bengtsson had one of the choicest pews. After recovering his health, Andrew Bankson also resumed an active role in civil affairs, being elected again to the Pennsylvania Assembly on 11 May 1698. He also served as a justice on the Philadelphia County court, 1701-1704. Pastor Andreas Sandel replaced Andreas Rudman as minister of Gloria Dei Church in 1702. He, like his predecessor, relied on Anders Bengtsson's advice. On 14 September 1705, Sandel presented the final word covering his friend's life: "I buried Anders Bengtsson, born in Sweden near Göteborg in the parish of Fåxarn [Fuxerna] and Hanström farm. He drowned in the Delaware, 65 years old." Andrew Bankson was survived by his wife Gertrude. They had nine known children, generally known by the surname of Bengtson in church records, but usually Bankson in English records. Among descendants in the south, the surname evolved into Bankston. Bengt (Benjamin) Bankson, born in 1669, married c. 1692 Catharina, daughter of Peter Larsson Cock and Margaret Lom. They lived in Moyamensing, where both of them died by 1748. They had four known children (Daniel, Peter, Jacob and Mary). Andrew Bankson, Jr., born c. 1672, married c. 1694 Gertrude, daughter of Lars Larsson Boore and Elisabeth. They made their home on Poquessing Creek in Byberry Township, Philadelphia, where he was still living in 1744. They had at least seven children (Andrew, Elisabeth, Lawrence, John, Rebecca, Peter and Daniel). The son Lawrence Bankson moved first to present York County, Pa., and then to North Carolina, leaving many descendants who used the surname of Bankston. Peter Bankson, born 6 March 1677, married in 1698 Catharina, daughter of Swan Swansson and Catharina. They lived at Wicaco, where Peter died in 1707 and his wife died in 1711. They had two children (Gertrude and Swan). Catharine Bankson, born 29 January 1679, married Peter Mattson, Jr., of Gloucester County NJ. They had five children (Andrew, Peter, Maria, John and Matts) before Mattson's death in 1722. She then married Johan van Culen on 26 May 1726. He died in January 1729. She was buried 27 Sept. 1735. She had no children by her second marriage. John Bankson, born 31 March 1681, married c. 1705 Helena, daughter of Peter Cock, Jr., and Helena Helm. They lived at Passyunk, where John died on 12 June 1739. His widow was still living in 1757. They had five children (Andrew, Peter, Deborah, John and Jacob). Jacob Bankson, born 19 October 1684, married after 1707 Margaret, daughter of Lasse Cock and Martha Ashman. They lived in Passyunk, where Margaret died before 1752. Jacob died in August 1766, survived by three children (Deborah, Martha and Andrew). Brigitta Bankson, born 10 April 1687, was still living when her father wrote his will in 1694. Not further traced. Daniel Bankson, born 22 January 1691, became a shipwright, first in Philadelphia, then in Bucks County, where he died in 1727, leaving a wife named Elizabeth. They had no children. Joseph Bankson, born 2 May 1696, became a carpenter in Philadelphia. After 1721, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he died in 1732, survived by a wife named Hannah and four children (Joseph, Rebecca, Ariana and Susanna).

Qualification &
Procedure

List of Qualifying
Forefathers

Forefather
Application

Forefather Family
Profiles

List of Current
Forefather Mambers

Anders Bengtsson and his
Bankson & Bankston Descendants

by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig
Fellow, American Society of Genealogists
Fellow, Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania
Historian, Swedish Colonial Society

originally published in Swedish Colonial News,
Volume 1, Number 20 (Fall 1999)

The dedication of Gloria Dei (Old Swedes) Church in 1700 marked the realization of a lifetime dream for many of the members of the Swedes' church at Wicaco, but especially so for one of its old-timers, Anders Bengtsson, known to the English as Andrew Bankson.

Anders Bengtsson, born in 1640 near Gothenburg, was a lad of 16 when he arrived in former New Sweden on the Mercurius in 1656. On 22 November 1668, he married Gertrude Rambo, the 18-year-old daughter of Peter Gunnarsson Rambo and Brita Matsdotter. The new couple established their home and farm at Moy-amensing along the Delaware River in present South Philadelphia.

An industrious farmer, Bengtsson later expanded his holdings by periodic purchase of lands in adjoining Passyunk, fronting on the Schuylkill River, so that he owned well over 400 acres in South Philadelphia by 1694.
Anders Bengtsson quickly rose to positions of prominence in the Swedish community. In 1681, he became a justice on the Upland Court and continued to serve on that court until it was abolished by the new Province of Pennsylvania in 1683. In that year, he served as a member of the first Assembly of Pennsylvania and witnessed the adoption of its Charter on 2 April 1683. He was elected to the Assembly in 1686.

Meanwhile, Anders Bengtsson also served faithfully as a member of the Swedish log church at Wicaco, dedicated in 1677. He was a vestryman of that church by 1684 and continued in this capacity until 1702. His duties for that church increased when the minister, Jacobus Fabritius, became blind in 1682 and the sexton, Jacob Jungh, died in April 1686. To fill the void until replacements could be secured, Anders Bengtsson volunteered his services as lay reader for the congregation.

On 30 August 1694, being "gravely sick and weak of body," Andrew Bankson wrote his final will and testament, bequeathing his property to his wife and children. But, he recovered his health. On 1 October 1695, perhaps in gratitude for his recovery, he sold 84 acres of his land at Passyunk to the church wardens at Wicaco for the use of the minister Jacobus Fabritius, "now superannuated," and such successors who might come thereafter.

And come they did. Fabritius died in 1696, but as he was being buried, three new ministers were being dispatched by the King of Sweden to serve the Swedes on the Delaware. The senior pastor among them, Andreas Rudman, became the new minister at Wicaco. And Anders Bengtsson became one of his most stalwart supporters. When the new church, Gloria Dei, was dedicated in 1700, church warden Anders Bengtsson had one of the choicest pews.

After recovering his health, Andrew Bankson also resumed an active role in civil affairs, being elected again to the Pennsylvania Assembly on 11 May 1698. He also served as a justice on the Philadelphia County court, 1701-1704.

Pastor Andreas Sandel replaced Andreas Rudman as minister of Gloria Dei Church in 1702. He, like his predecessor, relied on Anders Bengtsson's advice. On 14 September 1705, Sandel presented the final word covering his friend's life: "I buried Anders Bengtsson, born in Sweden near Göteborg in the parish of Fåxarn [Fuxerna] and Hanström farm. He drowned in the Delaware, 65 years old."

Andrew Bankson was survived by his wife Gertrude. They had nine known children, generally known by the surname of Bengtson in church records, but usually Bankson in English records. Among descendants in the south, the surname evolved into Bankston.

Bengt (Benjamin) Bankson, born in 1669, married c. 1692 Catharina, daughter of Peter Larsson Cock and Margaret Lom. They lived in Moyamensing, where both of them died by 1748. They had four known children (Daniel, Peter, Jacob and Mary).
Andrew Bankson, Jr., born c. 1672, married c. 1694 Gertrude, daughter of Lars Larsson Boore and Elisabeth. They made their home on Poquessing Creek in Byberry Township, Philadelphia, where he was still living in 1744. They had at least seven children (Andrew, Elisabeth, Lawrence, John, Rebecca, Peter and Daniel). The son Lawrence Bankson moved first to present York County, Pa., and then to North Carolina, leaving many descendants who used the surname of Bankston.
Peter Bankson, born 6 March 1677, married in 1698 Catharina, daughter of Swan Swansson and Catharina. They lived at Wicaco, where Peter died in 1707 and his wife died in 1711. They had two children (Gertrude and Swan).
Catharine Bankson, born 29 January 1679, married Peter Mattson, Jr., of Gloucester County NJ. They had five children (Andrew, Peter, Maria, John and Matts) before Mattson's death in 1722. She then married Johan van Culen on 26 May 1726. He died in January 1729. She was buried 27 Sept. 1735. She had no children by her second marriage.
John Bankson, born 31 March 1681, married c. 1705 Helena, daughter of Peter Cock, Jr., and Helena Helm. They lived at Passyunk, where John died on 12 June 1739. His widow was still living in 1757. They had five children (Andrew, Peter, Deborah, John and Jacob).
Jacob Bankson, born 19 October 1684, married after 1707 Margaret, daughter of Lasse Cock and Martha Ashman. They lived in Passyunk, where Margaret died before 1752. Jacob died in August 1766, survived by three children (Deborah, Martha and Andrew).
Brigitta Bankson, born 10 April 1687, was still living when her father wrote his will in 1694. Not further traced.
Daniel Bankson, born 22 January 1691, became a shipwright, first in Philadelphia, then in Bucks County, where he died in 1727, leaving a wife named Elizabeth. They had no children.
Joseph Bankson, born 2 May 1696, became a carpenter in Philadelphia. After 1721, he moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he died in 1732, survived by a wife named Hannah and four children (Joseph, Rebecca, Ariana and Susanna).