NINTH GENERATION
256. Mathias STEELMAN was born in 1723 in Kent County,
Delaware. He died in 1793 in Surry County, North Carolina. ------------------------------------------------
Mathias Steelman's Ancestry:
Earliest ancestor of Mathias is thought to be John Hance Steelman, b. in "New
Sweden" in 1655. John Hance's parents came over on the same ship, in 1641;
his mother was 7 years old at the time. "Steelman" seems to be a combination
of the name "Stille", surname of Olaf Stille, grandfather of John Hance
Steelman and "Mansson", from Hans Mansson, second husband (m. 1654)
of Ella Olafsdotter Stille, the 7 year old who came with her parents in 1641
to New Sweden. She died 1718 in Gloucester County, NJ. Ella's brother kept
the family name STILLE and the son of her first husband ended up as a YOCUM instead
of JOACHIMSON.
New Sweden was established in 1638, when Peter Minuit, rebuffed by the Dutch
West India Company, for whom he had earlier established a colony, cooperated
with the members of the government of King Gustaf of Sweden, to establish a colony
on behalf of that government.
New Sweden was, between 1638 and 1655, Philadelphia, Lower Delaware Co, PA
and Wilmington, DE.
John Hance was a fur trader, respected by William Penn and by the commissioners
of the colony of Maryland as well. He was quite helpful to William Penn in obtaining
from England a judgement against Lord Baltimore involving the "lower counties",
which both colonial managers claimed as their territory. John Hance was one
of the signers of the William Penn Pact with many Indian chieftains. Certain
Maryland Commissioners had met with the chieftains and in John Hance Steelman's
home.
John Hance built a home on "Little Elk Creek" in Maryland in 1697;
the stone structure still stands as of 1988.
Mathias is thought to have migrated from Kent County, DE to Surry County, NC
in the 1770's.
The following is from "The Year of the Swedes (and the Finns) by Dr. Ralph
K.Turp; South Jersey Magazine, Spring 1988 issue, pp.8-12 & Summer 1988 issue,
pp.15-19:
"Hans Mansson arrived in 1641 aboard "The Charitas" in company
with Eric Mollicka, a Finn who was described as being a wealthy young man of
15 years. Also on board was Olaf (William) Stille who had two daughters...One
story to account for his [Hans] presence in New Sweden, was that he was arrested
for stealing apples from the orchard of the abbey at Varnhem and for which crime
he was sent to New Sweden. In Varnhem (the author) was the guest of Arne Strang,
head genealogist, Berit Hange Persson and Sven Axel Hallback, an historian. They
produced records which verified the tale.... "
The name Steelman, at least in this family, happened after Hans died around 1692
and his sons and wife englicized their name, as was common in that era, by taking
his wife's maiden name, Stille and Mansson and making Steelman.
-------------------------------------------------
He was married to Ruth in 1748.
257. Ruth. Children
were:
i. William
STEELMAN was born in Jan 1750 in Kent County, Delaware. He died on 7 Mar
1836 in Rowan County, North Carolina.
ii. George
STEELMAN was born in 1753 in Kent County, Delaware. He died in 1799 in Surry
County, North Carolina.
iii.
John STEELMAN was born in 1754 in Kent County, Delaware. He died in 1778.
128 iv.
Charles STEELMAN.
v. James
STEELMAN was born in 1765. He died in 1828.
vi.
Rachel STEELMAN was born in 1760 in Surry County, North Carolina. She died
in 1838 in Tennessee.
vii.
Sealah (Celia) STEELMAN was born in 1747 in Delaware. She died on 9 Sep
1827 in Howard County, Missouri.
viii.
Elizabeth STEELMAN was born in 1753 in Surry County, North Carolina.
She died in 1853.
ix.
Mathias STEELMAN Jr. was born in 1757. He died in 1782 in Surry County,
North Carolina.
x.
Ruth STEELMAN.
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