Crane Hook on the Delaware - NC CHAP

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58 THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHURCH Netherland and the Delaware, the South Ri~er.~' Conditions granted to Swedes, Finns, English and all others who took the oath of allegiance included freedom of conscience and the same privileges as all other subjects of the Dutch government. The privileges granted were stated in nine articles to "deputies" from the Delaware, who on September 12, 1673, at New Orange (New York) declared their submission to the Dutch. The Articles were signed by the Dutch "Council of War," which body established Anthony Colve as governor. Governor Colve appointed Peter Alrichs commander and sheriff on the Dela~are.~~ This was the same Peter Alrichs, nephew of a former Dutch director at New Amstel, who had been on th river under the Dutch and then the English since April, 1657. Alrich's duties according to his instructions began with the following article: To see that sincere true Christian religion in conformity with the Synod of Dortrecht be taught and to maintain' it by all proper means, without tolerating that people holding another belief may make the least attempt against Considering the formal pledge of freedom of conscience given the deputies from the Delaware of whom Fabricius may have been one (representing the Dutch Lutherans on the Delaware, or assuming to represent all Lutherans if no Swedish deputy were present) this instruction could have applied only to the Dutch Reformed church at New Castle. No Dutch Reformed pastor had been available to those of that faith on the river since the death of Domine Welius at the end of 1657. Only services conducted by lay readers were held at the little Dutch church on the Strand. With the increasing population of English settlers in the neighbor- hood of that church and the strength of the Lutherans with their two pastors, an instruction to preserve teaching there according to the Reformed faith must have been sought by Peter Alrichs himself. Fabricius was in New York before January 17, 1674, the rea- sons for his leaving the Delaware not now of record. Rut thc pastor's presumption in civil affairs and his disorderly conduct could have landed him in trouble with Peter Alrichs without 47 Ibid.. 11, 569 ff.. 111, 199 ff.. 216-19; E~-clei/,crf;c'rl Rc,c/,rdl. I, 628 ff 48 Ibid., 615; Docume,rtr. XII. 507-509. 11, 618. 49 Ibjd., XI], 510; 11, 604-605. THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHURCH 59 reference to religious faith. On that day he was the defendant in the Municipal Court of New Orange (New York) to answewr demand of his wife that he be ordered to give up the room he was occupying in her house. On February 24, a second petition to the court telling at length the sufferings she had endured from the ill-treatment of her drunken husband, a "constant prophaner of God's name," added to the fact that he, "contrary to the pre- ivous order and prohibition given him, hath behaved very un- civilly and badly, he is ordered to give up the key to the house and not presume to molest his wife in any way."'" On March 1, Fabricius was deprived of his license to preach within the province of New Netherland for a year, because he had married a couple without authority to do so or any previous publication of their intention to marry. He escaped the full penalty of the law because the governor and council were "un- willing to proceed rigorously against him . . . out of respect for his old age and the office he last filled." He was found guilty at the same session of court of striking a woman in her own house for which he was fined two beavers with costs. In April he peti- tioned the governor and council to relax their prohibition against his exercising the ministerial office to the extent of permitting him to baptise. This was refused." Finally on June 17th he was brought into the court at New Orange by the sheriff on charges that- contrary to the orders of the court he had forced his way into the house of his wife, brought a chest into it against her will, created a disturbance, and resisted arrest. The sheriff as plaintiff demanded that the offender be banished forever out of the city's jurisdiction as a person unworthy to live in a well-regulated city. The court having heard all the charges and given Fabricius opportunity to answer, fined him 100 florins and costs; repeated the order that he should not go to his wife's house without her consent nor give her any trouble, and required him to ask the court's pardon "for insults and injuries committed against it at divers times although he deserved to be more severely punished ."5? 50 Ec-(-lr.ri.rrfic./l Recordi. 1. 640; DOCU~NPIII.I~) Hiifory, 111. 242. There is no c,v~tlcncc thi~t thc wife of Fabriciut cver lived on the Dela\vare except Jurinfi the I?II,,I I / I I I ~ , I / ~ ~ / II~~foq, I . , ~ 111. 243.
60 THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHURCH By the Treaty of Westminster, February 9/19, 1674, Dutch possessions in America were to be returned to England. The news probably reached New Orange before the English governor general, Edmund Andros, arrived in the city that autumn to receive from Anthony Colve the formal transfer on October 31/November 10, 1674. Among the official instructions brought by Governor Andros was: 11. You shall permitt all persons of what Religion soever, quietly to inhabitt within ye precints of your jurisdiction, wthout giveing ym any disturbance or disquiet whatsoever, for or by reason of their differr~ng opinions in matters of Religion; Provided they give noe disturbance to ye publique peace, nor doe molest or disquiet others in ye free exercise of their religion.53 Either before or soon after the return of the Duke of York's rule, Magister Jacobus Fabricius returned to the Delaware, resum- ing his service as pastor of the Swanwyck church. By June the next year the document drawn up December 10, 1672, proposing the union of <strong>Crane</strong> <strong>Hook</strong> and Swanwyck congregations under Fabricius was again included in a petition to the governor for its confirmation : To the Noble, Right Honorable, Major Edmond Andros, Governor- General of all his Royal Highness, James, Duke of York and Albany etc. -~. Territories - in America. Show with all reverence the subscribed petitioners, the coln~nunity of the unchangeable Augsburg Confession, called the Lutheran, which has its residence on the Southriver, that after the petitioners had addressed an humble petition to the Right Honorable Governor on the 13th of May Anno 1675, together with a document drawn up in Council at New Castle on the 10'11 December 1672, and presented by petitioners' ~ninister, whereby they divided the river into two parishes, so that all above Verdritige Hock is and shall remain under the pastorate of Mr. Laers and all below Verdritige Hoek under the pastorate of Magr JaKobus Fabricius, and requested and asked with due hu~nility, that your Noble Honor would please to confirm the action and the division for the sake of God's glory and good order, the petitioners expected hereupon a favorable answer and decision and had hoped to receive thc same through Capt. Ed. Kantwell, but as the specdy journey and many troubles haw prevented your Noble Honor, the petitioners do not know, how to act and they come therefore agai~~ to your Noble Right Honorable Worship with the humble request, to confirm the act and the division, also their minister Magr Jakobus Fabri- THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHURCH 61 cius and to grant a favorable reply to the petitioners, doing which they remain your Noble Right Honorable Worships subjects and mediators with God. Actum New Castle the first of June Anno 1675 The Community of the Unchange- able Confession of Augsburg on the Southriver belonging to the Churches of Swaenewyck and Kraenhoek. Henrich Jannsen - 4'- Hendrich Janse van Bremes thh.p E ig ,I Harrnan Janss Pieter Velcker Peter Classen Peter Witten (De Witt) Corn (Coinelis) Jansson Pieter Masslandt Jan Barends Sibrand Jansen Hinrich Fransen Willem Jansen Jan Jansen John Nohmers Clas Andressen and all the others54 53 I>O[~I(?JI~I,~!, 11, 560 ff.; 111, I99 ff.; I?c/e!~drtic~~/ Recf,rdr, I, 628 fl, 5.1 I)II~NIJICIIII. XII. 5.10. N.IIIIC.\ from pli~rtost:~t of the original Dutch copy in I~O~IIIII
Page 2 and 3: An Early Swedish Lutheran Church an
Page 5 and 6: PREFACE The purposes of the Delawar
Page 7 and 8: of old Crane <stro
Page 9 and 10: SIGNERS OF DUTCH LUTHERAN PETITION
Page 11 and 12: The Peopling of New Sweden HE fortu
Page 13 and 14: power in Iluropt througl~ the state
Page 15 and 16: 8 THE PEOPLING 01: N1,:W SWli1)IiN
Page 17 and 18: Governor I
Page 19 and 20: I look I(.!:II)II I\ ~.11l1 \ \ . I
Page 21 and 22: 20 NEW SWEDEN ('0I.ONIS'I'S IINI)I.
Page 23 and 24: 24 NEW SWEDEN COLONISTS UNI)I
Page 25 and 26: 28 NEW SWEDEN COLONISTS UNDER THE D
Page 33 and 34: 44 THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHURC
Page 35 and 36: 4 8 THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHUR
Page 37 and 38: 5 2 THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHUR
Page 39: 56 THE BUILDING OF CRANE HOOK CHURC
Page 47 and 48: 7 2 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA be
Page 49 and 50: 76 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA Gra
Page 51 and 52: 80 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA som
Page 53 and 54: 84 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA Phi
Page 55 and 56: 88 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA in
Page 57 and 58: 9 2 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA ma
Page 59 and 60: 96 FROM CRANE HOOK TO CHRISTINA ~el
Page 61 and 62: 100 CHURCH BURYING GROUND CHURCH BU
Page 63 and 64: 104 CHURCH BURYING GROUND come by h
Page 65 and 66: 108 CHARLES SPRINGER 1658-1738 CHAR
Page 67 and 68: 112 CHARLES SPRINGER 1658-1738 CHAR
Page 69 and 70: 116 CHARLES SPRINGER 1658-1738 orig
Page 71 and 72: 120 CHARLES SPRINGER 1658- 1738 jus
Page 73 and 74: As during the pastorate of Erik Bjo
Page 75 and 76: 128 SERVICE TO CHURCH AND PEOPLE Cl
Page 77 and 78: 132 SERVICE TO CHURCH AND PEOPLE ve
Page 79 and 80: 136 CHARLES SPRINGER'S FAMILY and G
Page 81 and 82: L>oc-urtrei~~nt.~ Hii/orj of /he Sl

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