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Peter Larsson Cock (Cox)

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 1 (Spring 1990)

Peter Larsson was given his surname Kock, "cook" in Swedish, because he served in this capacity in 1641 when he was sent to New Sweden from Stockholm on the ship Charitas. The name Kock evolved into Cock, and among his descendants finally became Cox.

Born in 1610 in Bångsta, a hamlet in Turinge parish, Södermanland (now Stockholm Län), Sweden, Peter Larsson Cock was the eldest of six sons of Lars Persson. Before departing for New Sweden, he had been an imprisoned soldier at Smedjegården in Stockholm. The reason for his imprisonment is not known.

Also on board the Charitas when it left Stockholm was the family of Måns Svensson Lom from Roslagen, including Måns' daughter Margaret, then about 15 years old. Early in 1643, she married Peter Cock in what probably was the first marriage performed in New Sweden.

In New Sweden, Peter Cock soon became a freeman and played a prominent role in the colony. In July 1651 he was an interpreter for Governor Printz in negotiations with the Indians confirming the Swedish claims to the lands on which the Dutch had built their Fort Casimir (New Castle, Del.) Under Governor Rising, he served on the New Sweden court.

After the surrender of New Sweden in 1655, Cock continued to serve as a justice for the up-river Swedes in present Pennsylvania until succeeded by his eldest son, Captain Lasse Cock, in 1680. He owned an extensive plantation which he called "Kipha," located on "Peter Cock's Island' - actually two islands in the Schuylkill that would later be known as Fisher's Island and Carpenter's Island.

Peter Cock and his wife Margaret had 13 children, 12 of whom grew to adulthood, married and had children of their own. The surviving children were

  1. Lars (Lasse) Cock, born March 21, 1646, died October 1699, who married Martha Ashman (English), May 15,1669.
  2. Eric Cock, born c. 1650, died August 1701, who married Elizabeth (daughter of Olof Philipsson) c. 1673.
  3. Anna Cock, born c. 1652, died by 1722, married Gunnar Rambo (son of Peter Rambo) c. 1675
  4. Måns Cock, born c. 1654, died after 1720, who married Gunilla (daughter of Jonas Nilsson), c. 1679
  5. John Cock, born 1656, died December 1713, who married Brigitta (daughter of Nils Larsson Frände or Friend) c. 1678.
  6. Peter Cock, born 1658, died May 1708, who married Helena (daughter of Israel Ackesson Helm) c. 1681.
  7. Magdalena, born 1659, died after 1723, who married Anders Petersson Longacre (son of Peter Andersson) c. 1681.
  8. Maria, born 1661, died after 1717, who married Andrew Rambo (son of Peter Rambo) c. 1684.
  9. Gabriel, born 1663, died after 1714, who married Maria (daughter of Nils Larsson Frände) c. 1686.
  10. Brigitta, born 1665, died 1726, who married John Rambo (son of Peter Rambo) c. 1686.
  11. Margaret, born 1667, died 1701, who married [1] Robert Longshore (an English surveyor) c. 1687 and [2] Thomas Jenner (an English tailor) c. 1691.
  12. Catherine, born 1669, died 1748, who married Bengt Bengtsson (son of Anders Bengtsson) c. 1691.

Through these 12 children, Peter and Margaret Cock had over 100 grandchildren. Peter Cock died November 10, 1687 at the age of 77. His widow, Margaret Cock, was also 77 when she was buried at Gloria Dei on February 13, 1703.