Jonas Nilsson

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 7 (Spring 1993)

Among the many soldiers accompanying Governor Printz on the Fourth Expedition to New Sweden was Joen Nilsson of Skåning hundred, Skaraborg län, who was later better known under the name of Jonas Nilsson. Born in 1620, Jonas, a tailor by trade, started his voyage to New Sweden from Stockholm in September 1642. After arriving at Fort Christina, 15 February 1643, he was one of many men assigned to help build Fort Elfsborg, where he was subsequently stationed.

Jonas Nilsson served the governor faithfully as a soldier for eleven years. But, when Printz returned to Sweden in 1653, Jonas did not go with him. He obtained his discharge, became a Freeman and married Gertrude, the daughter of Sven Gunnarsson.

For reasons that are not entirely clear, Jonas left his young bride in mid-July, 1654 to return to Sweden on the Eagle. While there, he collected the back wages that were due and returned to New Sweden on the Mercurius, which arrived in March 1656. Meeting the ship were his wife and eldest son, who had been born during his absence.

By family legend, Jonas Nilsson was six and one-half feet tall and an active Indian trader. Neither claim is supported by contemporary records: the only Swede of remarkable height was "Long Nils," a name given to Nils Matsson, a later immigrant. Although Jonas' son Måns Jonasson (Mounce Jones) and two sons-in-law (Peter Petersson Yocum and Måns Cock) were active Indian traders, no record supports that claim as to Jonas Nilsson himself.

Jonas Nilsson lived for his entire married life in Kingsessing (West Philadelphia), where he was a successful fanner and raised eleven children. He also acquired 270 acres of land at nearby Aronameck from Peter Yocum, land which he divided among his thme eldest sons. Jonas died in October 1693 at the age of 73; his wife died shortly thereafter. Their children, in order of their birth, were:

1. Nils Jonasson, born May, 1655, married Christina Gästenberg, daughter of Olof Nilsson, c. 1683. They had eight children. Nils died at Aronameck in January 1735.
2. Judith Jonasdotter, born c. 1658, married Peter Petersson Yocum, son of Peter Jochimsson, by 1676. She died in Amity township, Berks County, in 1727. They had ten children.
3. Gunilla Jonasdotter, born c. 1661, married Måns Cock, son of Peter Larsson Cock, by 1680. In the 1690s they moved across the Delaware to Senamensing, Burlington County. She had seven known children.
4. Måns Jonasson, born 1663, married Ingeborg Lycon, daughter of Peter Nilsson Lycon, c. 1690. After building a stone house at Aronameck (the core of the present Bartram's Gardens mansion), they moved in 1704 to Manatawney (Douglasville) in Amity township, Berks County, where the Mouns Jones house still stands in his honor. He had six known children and died in April 1727.
5. Anders Jonasson, born c. 1666, married Catharine Boon, daughter of Anders Svensson Bonde, by 1691. He died in November 1728 at Aronameck and had nine surviving children.
6. Christina Jonasdotter, born c. 1668, married twice: Frederick King in 1686 and, after his death, Nicklas Lindemeyer by 1700. Her family, raised in Senamensing (Cinaminson, NJ) included five children by her first marriage and two sons by her second marriage.
7. John Jonasson, born c. 1670, married Catherine Lock, eldest daughter of Pastor Lars Carlsson Lock, in 1693. They separated by 1697. Nevertheless, all five of her daughters were named Jones. John was still living in 1738 when he became administrator of his brother Jonas' estate.
8. Peter Jonasson, born c. 1673, was living with his sister Christina in 1697; not further traced.
9. Jonas Jonasson, born c. 1675, married an English servant, Anne Amesby, in 1702. A shoemaker, he died in Kingsessing in May 1738, survived by seven children.
10. Brigitta Jonasdotter, born in 1678, married Mårten Garrett of Blockley township in 1703 and had at least five children. She died near the Falls of the Schuylkill in December 1753.
11. Jonathan Jonasson, born. c, 1681, died in Kingsessing in June 1748. His will named a wife Mary and two children.

The male descendants of Jonas Nilsson started with the patronymic of Jonasson, which became shortened to "Jones" and, in this form, became the family surname.