Hans Månsson

Hans Månsson (1612–1691) was a Swedish soldier and a convicted criminal who was sent to New Sweden along the lower reaches of the Delaware River in what is now the United States in 1641. After serving six years on a tobacco plantation, he was freed and became a respected leader in Dutch New Netherland, serving as a spokesman for the settlers, and as commanding officer of the militia at Wicaco. He purchased land and was one of the first European settlers in what is now New Jersey.

Birth and early life

The relative locations of New Netherland (magenta) and New Sweden (blue) in America; modern state boundaries and postal abbreviations are shown.Hans Månsson was born in Skara Municipality, Sweden, son of Måns Persson (1595-1637) and Brita Lillebielke (1595-1612). He served as a cavalryman in the Västgöta Regiment during the Thirty Years' War, 1638–1640.

Criminal conviction

On his return from the war in 1640, Månsson camped with other troops near the Royal Garden at the Varnhem Abbey which was owned by the Swedish Royal family. Governor Carl Siggesson Rosendufva gave the men permission to pick apples from the garden, which had been neglected for decades, since the monks had handed over ownership to the crown in 1540. Månsson noted apple and cherry trees and decided to return later to get wood to make farming tools, including combs for horses' manes. Villagers heard the sound of chopping and sent a posse of horsemen to the garden, where they arrested Månsson.

After serving six years as a tobacco worker in New Sweden, Månsson became a freeman in 1647. In 1653 he and 21 others including Olof Stille, Peter Minuit and Sven Gunnarsson signed a petition opposing Governor Johan Printz's harsh rule.

Later life

Relations between the New Sweden colony and the Dutch at New Amsterdam deteriorated, as both were competing to trade for furs with local Native American tribes. In August 1655, Governor Johan Risingh, suspecting that the Dutch were planning a military action, sent Hans Månsson and Jacob Sprint to Staten Island to spy on the Dutch. They returned to inform the governor that Peter Stuyvesant was preparing to invade the South River "with four large and several small ships and seven or eight hundred men," and would be ready to sail on 18 August. After the Dutch capture of Fort Casimir on 11 September, Dutch troops surrounded Fort Christina and Governor Risingh surrendered the colony to Stuyvesant.

After it was formally incorporated into Dutch New Netherland on 15 September 1655, Hans Månsson became a respected leader in New Sweden, serving as a spokesman for the settlers. In 1669 he received a patent for an 1100-acre plantation in what later became Kingsessing, Philadelphia, along the Schuylkill River between the current location of 60th Street and Woodlands Cemetery, extending as far west as Cobb's Creek. In 1672 he became captain and commanding officer of the militia at the outpost of Wicaco. She died in Gloucester County, New Jersey on 22 January 1718, aged 83. She is buried in an unmarked grave at the Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church cemetery.