Johan Fisk of New Sweden and his Fish 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 3, Number 7 (Fall 2007)

Among the passengers arriving in New Sweden in 1648 aboard the ship Swan was a soldier by the name of Johan Fisk. He soon became a freeman and was among the 22 settlers who signed the petition of grievances against Governor Printz on 27 July 1653. After Printz left the colony, Johan changed his surname from Fisk [fish in Swedish] to Skovel [shovel in Swedish]. As Johan Skofel he signed the loyalty oath to the new governor, Johan Risingh on 9 June 1654 and a second complaint against Governor Printz on 7 July 1654. In the same year he sold his farm above Marcus Hook to Governor Risingh and moved to the area of Fort Trinity (present New Castle), where, after the fort was surrendered to the Dutch in 1655, Johan Skovel signed the loyalty oath to Governor Stuyvesant.

The name of Johan Fisk’s wife has not been discovered. It is also uncertain where and when he died. He apparently died before 1670 in present Pennsylvania. Records establish that he had at least two children: Caspar Fisk and Christina Fisk.

1.  Caspar Fisk was born in New Sweden on 4 February 1651. On 17 April 1675, he was married at the Tinicum Island Church by Pastor Lock to Margaret, who was born in 1656 to Gustaf Danielsson and Anna Lom of Upland Creek. When Danielsson died in 1681, Caspar Fisk was named administrator of his estate.

Initially, Caspar Fisk and his wife resided on a 500-acre tract on the south side of Pennypack Creek, which was surveyed on 22 October 1675 for Caspar Fisk and his partner, Peter Petersson Yocum. Caspar sold his share  in 1679 and moved with his brother-in-law Marcus Laurensen (who had married Mar­garet’s sister) to “Putshack,” a tract of land south of Pennsauken Creek, New Jersey, in old Gloucester County. His tract, on the Delaware River waterfront, was surveyed as containing 120 acres in 1684. This remained his home until his death in 1708.

Caspar Fisk was active in both church and political affairs. He was named constable of old Gloucester County in 1692 and 1693. He served as a church warden of the Swedes’ church at Wicaco in the 1690s and again in 1702-1703. He gave £15 toward construction of Gloria Dei Church and remained an active member until his death.

Margaret, the wife of Caspar Fisk, died in childbirth on 14 November 1697. After her death, Fisk married Willemke, the widow of Hans Keen. She survived him. Caspar and Margaret Fisk had eight known children:

• Anna Fish, born c. 1675, was married c. 1691 to Peter Peterson, born in 1667, the son of Måns Petersson Stake, a former New Sweden officer who died  in Calcon Hook c. 1698. On 1 August 1711 Peter Peterson sold his quarter interest in Calcon Hook and moved to the Maurice River in Salem County, New Jersey, where he acquired 920 acres and a sawmill. His will of 18 September 1733, proved 18 October 1735, named his wife Anna and eleven child­ren: Magdalena (b. 1692), Peter (b. 1695), Henry (b. 1697), Aaron, Gabriel, John, Mat­thias, Sarah, Rebecca, Christina and Helena.
  
• Johan Fish, born 15 September 1677, died unmarried after 1697 and before 1707.
  
• Gustavus Fish, born 10 December 1679, married Brita Rambo, born 15 November 1685, eldest daughter of John Rambo and Brigitta Cock. By 1704 he moved to Great Egg Harbor, where pastor Andreas Sandel preached on 1 October 1704. In 1710 Gustavus accused James Steelman of having illicit relations with his wife Brita. Gustavus is last discovered as a freeholder in Egg Harbor Township in 1722. His only known son, also named Gustavus Fish, was listed in the 1743 Gloria Dei census as a resident of Matsunk [Upper Merion Township in present Montgomery County, Pa.]
  
• Elias Fish, born 16 June 1681, married Christina Laican, born 17 February 1684, the daughter of Michael Laican and Helena Lom. They lived in Upper Greenwich Township, Gloucester County, and had six children baptized at the Raccoon Creek church between 1714 and 1727: Rebecca, Elias (died young), Susanna, Christina, Israel and Helena.
  
• Caspar Fish, Jr., born 9 February 1684, married Helena Laican, born 29 December 1689, the daughter of Michael Laican and Helena Lom. They lived in Waterford Town­ship, Gloucester County, where Caspar died in August 1748. He was survived by four sons (Michael, John, Isaac and Elias) and three daughters (Rebecca, Mary and Eleanor).
• Susannah Fish, born 11 January 1688, married Nicholas Laican, son of Michael Laican and Helena Lom. She died childless after 1719, survived by her husband who died without issue in Deptford Township, Glou­cester County, in March 1733.
• Maria Fish, born 15 May 1693, was still unmarried on 15 March 1710 when she was called to testify before the Gloucester County grand jury. Not further traced.
• Abigail Fish, born in November 1697, married John Chester, an Englishman, who died in Deptford Township, Gloucester County, in January 1736/7. She then remarried Edward Chapman at the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia, 1 January 1738/9.

2.  Christina Fisk was married by 1681 to Hans Peterson. He was born in Sweden in 1648 and was probably one of the Finns arriving on the Delaware under Dutch rule in 1663. In 1669 he had been fined 100 guilders for his involvement in the “Long Finn Rebellion.” He first lived in Carkoens Hook in present Philadelphia, but after marrying Chris­tina he secured a 50-acre tract on Repaupo Creek, Gloucester County, New Jersey, in 1684. He died there by 1693 when his widow Christina married Anders [Andrew] Lock, son of Pastor Lars Lock. Andrew lived on a 150-acre plantation on Repaupo Creek, where he died of a rattlesnake bite and was buried 5 August 1716.

Christina had six children by her first marriage and six children by her second marriage, as follows:

• Catharine Peterson, born in 1682, married Jöns (James) Halton, son of Måns Halton of Raccoon Creek. James Halton was buried 14 September 1742. His widow died 8 January 1766 at the age of 84. They had four children who grew to adulthood and married: Christina, Maria, James and Magdalena.
• Peter Peterson, born c. 1684 died unmarried in Gloucester County on 25 August 1726.
• Frederick Peterson, born c. 1686, moved to New Castle County, Delaware, where he married Elsa (Alice) Lewden, only daughter and heir of Roger Lewden, Jr., by 1711. After selling the 200 acres in Mill Creek Hundred which she had inherited, they returned to Gloucester County where four children were baptized at the Raccoon church between 1714 and 1721: Christina, Hans, Johannes and Timotheus. Not further traced.
• Elisabeth Peterson, born in 1688, was still unmarried in October 1705 when, at the age of 17, she witnessed the will of Lassey Parker. Not further traced.
• John Peterson, born c. 1691, purchased 280 acres at the Maurice River near present Mauricetown in 1739. He died there in 1752 survived by sons John and Darius and a daughter Ann.
• Regina Peterson, born c. 1693, married Hendrick Hendrickson, son of Andrew Hend­rickson of Ammansland, by 1713. They had ten children born between 1714 and 1733: Brigitta, Andrew, Christina, Susannah, Jonas, Magdalena, Israel, Hendrick, Sarah and Regina Hendrickson. The family lived on Repaupo Creek where the father Hendrick died in 1749 and his wife shortly thereafter.
• Maria Lock, born 15 August 1695, married Garret van Neaman on 6 November 1717. They had two surviving daughters: Christina, born in 1725, and Sarah, born in 1734.
• Israel Lock, born c. 1697, married Rebecca Helm, daughter of Hermanus and Catharine Helm, on 25 November 1725. He died in 1753. They had seven known children: Anders, Catharine, Hermanus, Christina, Sarah, Judith and Israel Jr.
• Lars Lock, born c. 1699, married Maria Slubey, daughter of Hendrick Slubey, on 11 December 1719. They had three children baptized at the Swedes’ church on Raccoon Creek before he died  on 18 February 1729: Anders, Catharine and Måns Lock. His widow married John Hoffman and died 24 March 1773.
• Helena Lock, born c. 1701, married Peter Justice, the only son of Peter Gustafson [alias Justice] of Kingsessing, on 4 December 1719. They lived in Upper Penns Neck, Salem County, and had seven children who lived to adulthood: Martha, Christina, Susanna, Anders, Peter, Brigitta and Rebecca. Helena died before her husband who drank himself to death in 1766.
• Måns Lock, born c. 1703, died unmarried c. 1732.
• Anders Lock, Jr., born c. 1705, died unmarried as a young lad on 20 July 1717.