| |
Individual:
. GUNNAR RAMBO, Peter's eldest son, was born 6 Jan 1648/49 and married ANNEKA COCK in 1670. Anneka was born about 1652, a daughter of Peter Larsson and Margaret (Lom) Cock and a sister of Maria and Brigitta Cock who married Gunnar's younger brothers Anders and John. (The Cock family is given at the end of this chapter.) Gunnar Rambo was a large land owner and occupied a prominent place in the affairs of the province. He was a member of the first grand jury under William Penn, a peacemaker for Philadelphia County in 1684 and a member of the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly in 1685.(575),, vol. 1 (1991\: p. 623) Gunnar and his family belonged to Gloria Dei church at Wicaco and in 1684, he and his brother Peter, Jr. made a voluntary contribution of 30 guilders for the support of Rev. Jacob Fabritius.(32),, p. 342) The 1697-98 roll of the Swedes on the Delaware prepared by Andreas Rudman, pastor of the Gloria Del Church, listed eight of the nine children in the family, and their ages.(25) Gunnar Rambo died in Upper Merion Township in January 1724 at the age of 75. His wife predeceased him. ( (576),, p. 28)
In 1677, Gunnar Rambo and his brothers-in-law Andries Benckson, Laurens Cock, Erik Cock, Jan Cock, and Peter Cock, Jr. were among the 23 Swedes who presented a petition to the court at Upland "to settle together in a town at the west side of the river, just below the falls."(19),, p. 166) ( ,(29) This failed. Gunnar lived on his land at Shackamaxon for 20 years until he sold it in 1697 and moved to Matsunk [now Swedesburg] on the Schuylkill River in Upper Merion township.(576),, p. 28) ( Details: The Upper Merion Swedish Lutheran Church was meeting in Gunnar's house earlier than 1712 and he was on his land before 1682 because the Swedes had bought this Pennsylvania land from the Duke of York before Penn ever owned it. Gunnar Rambo states that he stood at Upland [now Chester, PA] and watched Penn sail up the Delaware in 1682 ... somehow implying that he was on his land at Matsunk above the falls of the Schuylkill long before 1697. In fact there is a lot of information in the Colonial records about the Swedes up on the North (or West) side of the Schuylkill before Penn came and the problems with titles even as late as 1715. Some of the Swedes released titles for Philadelphia area land to Penn's men and never got land in replacement. Just because you find that titles were dated in the 1700's does not mean that the transactions were in the 1700's. Penn and his men made these changes in the 1680's when he was here but the English government was in a mess and no one could sign documents for the crown until Ann and William finally got to the throne. The Naturalizations records of the Germans and the Swedish deeds are all misunderstood. You have to prowl those early assembly records and give much attention to determine that. I spent months in those Colonial records making copies and studying the facts before I understood what happened.(0),, Dorothy Wilkerson Bertine, Denton, TX 76205, family research, letter of 30 Jan 2003 citing unspecified Pennsylvania Archives Assembly Records)) ( Details: It seems unlikely that Gunnar would have built a house by 1662, but the label on this sketch argues that he did. In American Pioneer Arts & Artists by Carl W. Drepperd, on page 65 under picture of a house is this description, Swedes House, Philadelphia, 1662; Sketch by a Philadelphia amateur artist, 1889. Discovered by Arthur Sussel about 1928. Under his sketch the artist has written: "This house was built by Gunnar Rambo, a Swede, 1662 of imported brick, being ballast in some ships which put into this port. It stands now in the middle of a field, south of Anne Street. Gunnars Run took its name from this Swede." This house is of an architectural style established by the Swedes long before Pennsylvania was deeded to Penn and which has persisted for well over 200 years. ___Arthur Sussel Gallery.(0),, Holding, Barbara. e-mail of 15 Nov 2003)) In 1698 he was willed 300 acres of land on Homan's Creek, Gloucester County, New Jersey by his father, but Gunnar and his brother John sold 257 acres of that land to John Bowles in July 1698.
" Gunnar Rambo's land at Shackamaxon came from an original patent to Peter Cock for land there, later divided among his children (including Gunnar Rambo & his wife). Gunnar Rambo of Shackmaxon, husbandman, sold parts of this land on 6 June 1697 to George Lillington, late of Barbados for (pounds)L 200. These parts were described as 54 acres, 103 acres and 26 acres (total 183 acres) plus 8 acres, Gunnar's interest in 8 acres formerly given to Jacob Young, deceased (former sexton of the log church at Wicaco). (Phila. Exemplification Book 7:279-282). On 11 June 1698 Gunnar Rambo sold to Thomas Fairman all his interest in a great island opposite Shackamaxon assigned to him by certain named Indians. (Phila. Exemplification Book 7:330) And on 17 July 1699, Gunnar Rambo, now residing above the falls of the Schuylkill [Matsunk] sold 100 acres at Shackamaxon (part conveyance from his father-in-law Peter Cock) to John Bowyer, shipwright. (Pa.Arch.2d, 19:476)
" From Lasse Cock's 1000 acres in Upper Merion (Matsunk), 500 acres was granted to Gunnar Rambo and 250 acres to his son John Rambo. When Gunnar's land was surveyed, his land was found to be 614 acres; he gave up the extra 114 acres. Gunnar was residing on that land by 1698, although he did not get legal title to it until 1707. In 1710 he sold 100 of those acres to Hugh Williams. (Phila. deeds, I-11:103). In 1721, he granted his son Gabriel Rambo 150 acres. (Phila. deeds, H-2:101) and his will gave the other 250 acres to his son Elias Rambo."(574),, 20 Apr 1999, p. 4) This land in Matsunk bordered on the Schuylkill River lying adjacent to Peter Cock's land and to the north of the Widow Yocum's land. It was near what is now Bridgeport, Pennsylvania. ( Details: The 500 acres, 614 acres, and 1000 acres are mentioned in Pa Archives 3rd 3:4-5,7.)
" They chose excellent land. While southeastern Pennsylvania in general was very good for agriculture, the Swedes' tract lay on probably the finest of the region. A rolling terrain, it had a deep, well-drained loamy soil, free of loose stones and enriched by limestone deposits. It lay athwart a limestone belt about a mile wide extending east to west until it widened into the soon-to-be fabulously productive Lancaster Plain. Several streams arose in or ran through the area, such as Matsunk Creek and Frog Run, although none of them was strong enough to propel a mill. Amply wooded, with oaks, hickories, and poplars predominating, by with open grasslands as well, the area abounded with wildlife -- deer, turkeys, bears, wolves, foxes, squirrels, and an occasional panther. The woods supplied material for rafts and canoes and for log cabins. The limestone which ranged from hard marble to soft stone, not only fertilized the soil but also provided stone for chimneys and ovens and for building more substantial structures. The Schuylkill River, which enhanced the soil and supplied shad and catfish for the table, was not deep enough for large vessels except during the spring flooding, but rafts and canoes could be used for carrying the settlers and goods to and from the City. Because of Penn's prior treaty arrangements the few Indians in the area were friendly."(584),, p. 46)
The will of Gunnar Rambo was written 4 Jan 1723/24; entered for probate in Philadelphia on 20 Mar 1723/24; and recorded in Will Book D: pages 388-389, #306 1/2. It reads as follows:(794),, #21722)
"In the Name of God Amen, I Gunner Rambo of Matson in the County of Philada finding myself weak of body but of perfect and sound memory Blessed be God for it, do make this my last will and testament, revoking all former wills ever heretofore made by me or for me this fourth day of January one thousand seven hundred and twenty three/four. Imprimis I give and bequeath my soul into the hands of Almighty God my Creator and my body to be buryed in a christian and a decent manner as my Executor hereafter named shall think fitt. ITEM I Give unto my Eldest Son John Rambo, the sum of five shillings, which, with what I have heretofore Given him, shall be in full of all demands and his share or portion of this my Estate. THEN I give unto my son Peter Rambo, the Bed and Bolster, that I now lye on, with what he has had before shall be in full of all demands, for his share or portion of this my Estate. THEN I give unto my son Mounce Rambo the sum of five shillings which with, what he had before shall be in full of all demands for his share or portion of this my Estate. THEN I give unto my son Gabriel Rambo, the sum of five shillings which with what I gave him before shall be in full demands of his share or portion of this my Estate. THEN I give unto my Granddaughter Katherin Holston the sum of five shillings which is likewise in full of all demands from this my Estate. THEN I give unto my son Andrew Rambo the sum of forty pounds current lawfull money of the province of pensilvania to him his heirs or assigns to be paid in Manner and form following (vizt) Ellias Rambo to pay upon the 26th day of March, yearly after my decease the sum of five pounds p annum, of Current Lawfull money of ye province of pensilvania for eight years until the whole sum of forty pounds be paid, and in the mean time that he shall give Andrew security for the payment of the several sums yearly which is likewise in full of all further Demands from the sd Andrew to this my Estate. THEN I give unto my son Ellias Rambo this my plantation containing two hundred and fifty acres of land with all my Improvements and all the rest of my Estate both Real and personal as if every particular were named and I likewise appoint my son Ellias my sole Executor this my last will and Testament witness my hand and seal the day and date first above written. Gunnar Rambo (his mark) Sealed and Delivered in the presence of us, Edward Farmer, Joseph Gray, Peter Yokom (his mark), Lovell Jarpson [Jackson]
Philadelphia March 20th 1723 then personally appear'd Edward Farmer and Peter Yokom two of the witnesses to the within written will and upon their oaths did declare they saw and heard Gunnar Rambo the testator within named sign seal publish and declare the same to be his last will and testament and that at the doing thereof he was of sound mind memory and understanding to the best their knowledge Coram Pet Evans reg Genll Be it remembered that on the 20th day of March, 1723 the last will and testament of Gunnar Rambo deced was proved in due form of Law and probate and letters testamentary were granted unto Ellias Rambo sole executor therein named being first sworn well and truly to administer the sd decedst estate and bring an inventory thereof into the Register General's Office at Philadelphia at or before the day of next and also to render an account when thereunto Lawfully required given under the seal of the sd office Pet Evans reg Genll"
|
| - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - |
|
| |
