
Peter Kalm - Trinity Church - Swedesboro, New Jersey, USA
Posted by:
BruceS
N 39° 45.032 W 075° 18.403
18S E 473723 N 4400114
During the winter of 1748-1749 Peter Kalm stayed in the town of Raccoon, New Jersey along Raccoon Creek. Raccoon has since changed its name to Swedesboro, New Jersey.
Waymark Code: WM47GR
Location: New Jersey, United States
Date Posted: 07/18/2008
Views: 57
On November 20, 1748, Peter Kalm, writes of traveling to Raccoon where many Swedes live and where they have a Swedish church. The Swedish Church is what later would become Trinity Church (now Episcopal but at the time was Swedish Lutheran) was then known as the Church at Raccoon.. The church building was not the current church which was not built until 1784, but was a log church located closer to Raccoon Creek (vicinity N39° 45.058' W075° 18.368' marked with a stone marker and plaque). Peter Kalm's time in Raccoon coincided with the untimely death of the rector, Johan Sandin. In the absence of a minister Peter Kalm became a lay minister to the congregation. He also married Sandin's widow prior to returning to Finland (he was from the University of Åbo in Swedish-speaking Finland) and he ultimately was was ordained in the church. For more history of on Trinity Church see their
website.
He remained in Raccoon until May 19, 1749 when he started his journeys north.