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Måns Svensson Lom, Forgotten Forefather, and his Seven Daughtersby Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig Although the surname of Lom died out by 1685, it is probable that Måns Svensson Lorn had more descendants than any other settler of New Sweden. He had nine children, fifty or more grandchildren and at least 250 great-grandchildren. When Andreas Rudman took his census of the Wicaco congregation in 1697, thirty percent (165) of them were Lom's descendants. Nothing is yet known about Lom's personal history prior to 1641. As he came to America with the Stille brothers (Olof and Axel) it is probable that he was also from Roslagen. That was the reported birthplace of his eldest daughter. The name of his wife is not found in any surviving record. Based on Swedish naming patterns, her name was probably Anna Petersdotter and it seems likely that she was the sister of Olof and Axel Stille, sons of Peter Stille of Roslagen. Måns Svensson (the son of Sven) used the surname of Lom, pronounced "Loom" in Swedish and sometimes spelled that way. It means "loon" or "diver" and is typical of the kind of name assigned to a Swedish seaman. Lom's name first appeared in New Sweden records on the passenger list of the Charitas, 3 May 1641, on the eve of that ship's departure from Stockholm on the first leg of its voyage to America. Listed right above the family of Olof Stille and the bachelor Axel Stifle was "Måns Svensson Lom, a tailor and formerly a lieutenant, who intends to begin agriculture in New Sweden. He has received 5 Riksdaler but otherwise no salary; he goes with his wife, two almost grown-up daughters and a little son." In New Sweden, he became one of the first settlers of present Delaware County, where he settled with the Stille brothers on a tract called "Techoherassi" by the Indians. This was at present Eddystone, located on the Delaware River between Olof Stille's Creek (now Ridley Creek) and Crum Creek. On 6 October 1646, during the war of words between Governor Johan Printz and the Dutch, Olof Stille and Måns Svensson Lom delivered one of the Governor's ultimatums to Andries Hudde, the Dutch commander at Fort Nassau. The account book of Hendrick Huygen, New Sweden's commissary, dated I March 1648, showed that Måns Svensson owed the New Sweden Company 274.17 guilders for his purchases from the company store. Måns Svensson Lom probably died in 1653. On 27 July 1653, his two sons-in-law Peter Larsson Cock and John Wheeler and Olof and Axel Stille were among the 22 freemen submitting a petition of grievances to Governor Printz. Lom's name was conspicuous in its absence. On 9 June 1654, after the arrival of Governor Johan Risinor "Måns Lom's widow" was listed among the "old freemen" pledging allegiance to the new governor. Arriving on the Eagle with Governor Rising, was Lars Andersson Collinus, a "münster" (minister's) scribe, who soon married Måns Lom's widow. In 1664, Olof Stille's family and the Lom family (with its new father-in-law) moved to Moyamensing on the Delaware River in present South Philadelphia. "Lasse" Andersson later became a justice on the Upland Court. After the creation of Pennsylvania, Lasse Andersson was "naturalized" by William Penn and joined other "antient Sweeds" in signing a deposition (for use against Lord Baltimore) establishing that the Swedes were the first permanent settlers in Delaware, which Baltimore claimed belonged to Maryland. The will of Lars Andersson Collinus, dated 17 July 1689, left his Moyamensing plantation to Michael Nilsson Laican and Andrew Wheeler, who were, respectively, a son-in-law and grandson of Måns Lom. It is unknown when Lom's wife died. However, she was the mother of nine children: 1. Margaret Lom, born in 1626 in Roslagen, was buried by pastor Andreas Sandel 13 Feb. 1703 at the age of 76. She married Peter Larsson Cock and lived at Peter Cock's (later Province) Island. They had 13 children:
2. Catharine Lom, born in Roslagen c. 1628, married John Wheeler, an Englishman, who lived in the New Sweden colony. After the 1653 protest to Printz, they moved to Swanwyck, near the Dutch Fort Casimir (New Castle), and by 1658 had moved to the Sassafras River in Cecil County, Maryland. Catharine died before 1674 when John Wheeler's second wife Mary renounced any interest in his property. Catharine had four known children:
3. Peter Månsson, born in Roslagen c. 1638, never used his father's surname. He married a daughter (name unknown) of Sven Gunnarsson and in 1673 was shown as a one-third owner of the Bought on the Delaware in Brandywine Hundred, New Castle County. He surrendered this interest to Marcus Laurens and moved to Cecil County, where he died in 1677, survived by one child:
4. Anna Lorn, born at sea in 1641, married Giösta Danielsson, who arrived, in New Sweden in 1654 as a tailor and soldier. They lived at Upland (Chester), where Danielsson died intestate in 1681, survived by three daughters:
5. Beata Lom, born 1643, reported to be the first girl born in New Sweden, died at Upland in the spring of 1689. In January 1662 she became the second wife of Pastor Lars Carlsson Lock, who came to New Sweden in 1648. Their children:
6. Christina Lom, born c. 1645, married Mårten Gertsson of Christina Creek c. 1663. She died after 1678. After her husband drowned out of his canoe in 1680, Lars Andersson Collinus and Sven Månsson Lom were named administrators of his estate. Her children:
7. Sven Månsson Lom, born c. 1648, died c. 1685 in Blockley Township; name of wife unknown, one child named in step-father's will:
8. Helena Lom, born 1650, died 1720 in Gloucester County. She married Michael Nilsson Laican in 1670. Initially they lived at the Bought on land later occupied by her brother Peter Månsson. Then they moved to Shackamaxon to share land with her nephew, Lasse Cock. Michael Laican stayed in Shackamaxon after inheriting land at Moyamensing from. Lars Andersson Collinus. He moved in 1699 to Gloucester County, where he died in 1704. They had 10 children:
9. Maria Lom, born c. 1652, married John Mattsson, son of Matthias Hanson c. 1672. After living at Moyamensing for 12 years, they moved to Gloucester County where Mattsson died in 1701. Aside from caring for the younger children of Lars and Beata Lock after their deaths, John and Maria Mattsson had at least seven children of their own:
The "forgotten forefather" Måns Svensson Lom left quite a family!
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