Post by afarneth on Oct 28, 2010 17:34:24 GMT -5
I had heard that Nils Friend had owned the land in Bucks County PA where William Penn chose to build his home, Pennsbury Manor. In digging around the Swedish Museum in Philadelphia and on the Swedish Colonial Society website I finally found the documentation:
From the Swedish Colonial Soc. websites profile of Capt. Israel Helm:
Through his Indian trading, Israel Helm also became proficient in the Indian dialects and was in frequent demand to negotiate treaties with the Indians. As a reward, Governor Andros of New York granted him land near Burlington Island in 1677. Helm later surrendered this land to William Penn for his "Pennsbury" estate in exchange for other land on the Brandywine River.
From the Swedish Museum and the Philadelphia Historical society records:
Peter Stebbins Craig 1693 census of Swedes on the Delaware
" On April 6, 1677, Governor Andros of New York authorize Israel Helm to purchase land from the Indians opposite Burlington Island, of which he was to retain 200 acres for himself" Quoted from Genealogical Magazine of NJ; V. 13, P 11, 14
On 13 November 1677 the Upland Court granted Nils Larsson Frande 200 acres adjoining Helms' 200 acres. (Upland Court records 1676 - 1681; Edward Armstrong, Ed., Historical Society of PA Vol. 7, P. 71) William Penn later acquired both these properties for his Pennsbury estate. - See 1689 letter referencing Israel's Creek - Papers of William Penn; 3: 261, Richard and Mary Dunn, Eds.
So it appears that Nils Frande (Friend) owned part of the land on which William Penn later built his mansion. Another source stated that Nils Friend got land on the Red Clay Creek in Delaware in exchange for his 200 acres in Bucks County.
From the Swedish Colonial Soc. websites profile of Capt. Israel Helm:
Through his Indian trading, Israel Helm also became proficient in the Indian dialects and was in frequent demand to negotiate treaties with the Indians. As a reward, Governor Andros of New York granted him land near Burlington Island in 1677. Helm later surrendered this land to William Penn for his "Pennsbury" estate in exchange for other land on the Brandywine River.
From the Swedish Museum and the Philadelphia Historical society records:
Peter Stebbins Craig 1693 census of Swedes on the Delaware
" On April 6, 1677, Governor Andros of New York authorize Israel Helm to purchase land from the Indians opposite Burlington Island, of which he was to retain 200 acres for himself" Quoted from Genealogical Magazine of NJ; V. 13, P 11, 14
On 13 November 1677 the Upland Court granted Nils Larsson Frande 200 acres adjoining Helms' 200 acres. (Upland Court records 1676 - 1681; Edward Armstrong, Ed., Historical Society of PA Vol. 7, P. 71) William Penn later acquired both these properties for his Pennsbury estate. - See 1689 letter referencing Israel's Creek - Papers of William Penn; 3: 261, Richard and Mary Dunn, Eds.
So it appears that Nils Frande (Friend) owned part of the land on which William Penn later built his mansion. Another source stated that Nils Friend got land on the Red Clay Creek in Delaware in exchange for his 200 acres in Bucks County.