Name
Jonas Magni,[1] also called Jonas Magnus, “de Sweed” [the Swede].[2]
Origin
Called “de Sweed,” Jonas was apparently of Swedish origin.[3]
Migration
Jonas Magni was in New Netherland by 20 May 1659, when he signed a petition.[4]
Settlement
Jonas Magni lived in Mespath Kill on 16 June 1663, when he acknowledged a debt of 912 pounds of tobacco for merchandise he received from Daniel de Haert. He promised to pay the tobacco in February 1664.[5]
Biographical Details
Jonas Magni was born between say 1590 and 1634. It is unlikely that he came to New Netherland as an older man. He would have been of age (25) when he signed the petition in 1659.[6] He died at an unknown date after 31 January 1665.[7]
Education
Jonas Magni was able to sign his name. In 1659, he signed a petition as Jonas Magni.[8] In 1663, the name looks more like “Jonas Magri.”[9]
Occupation
Jonas Magni was apparently a merchant, since he received merchandise worth 912 pounds of tobacco.[10]
Church Membership
Jonas Magni was a Lutheran. On 20 May 1659, he was one of at least 68 Lutherans in New Netherland who signed a petition to the directors of the West India Company. The petition described the situation of the Lutherans in the colony. In 1656, the Directors of the West India Company had decreed that Lutherans would be tolerated in New Netherland as they were in the Netherlands. A Lutheran minister came to the colony in 1657. However, Director-General Petrus Stuyvesant fiercely opposed the Lutheran church. He had the minister arrested and sent back to the Netherlands, and threatened to fine Lutherans who held meetings or helped the minister. Meanwhile, the promise of free religion had attracted many Lutherans to the colony, but by 1659 some of them were leaving again. The petition asked for the return of their minister and a place to practice their religion, perhaps two or three miles from Manhattan, or at the ferry, at Long Island, or at Paulus Hoeck. The petitioners warned that more farmers would leave if they could not worship in peace.[11]
Associations
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In 1665, Cornelis van Ruijven called for Jonas Magnus’s arrest (see Additional Details).[12] It is unclear what their relationship was.
Additional Details
He is probably the “Jonas de Sweet” [Jonas the Swede] who sued Moends de Sweedt on 16 November 1660. Jonas did not appear in court and the matter was deferred, but never taken up again. The nature of the case is unspecified.[13]
On 31 January 1665, Cornelis van Ruijven appeared before the court of New Amsterdam to have Jonas Magnus attached and arrested. Jonas did not appear. The court agreed that Van Ruijven’s demand was valid and authorized the court officer to arrest Jonas Magnus and put him in prison when he next came to New Amsterdam.[14] The court minutes do not specify the reason for the attachment, but it seems that Van Ruijven wanted Magnus detained to ensure his presence at a hearing or to prevent him from fleeing.
Literature
Evjen, John Oluf. Scandinavian Immigrants in New York, 1630–1674. Minneapolis, Minnesota: K. C. Holter, 1916. Sketch for Jonas Magnus (pp. 328–29).
Lurix, Karl A. “The Lutheran Struggle for Toleration in New Amsterdam.” Halve Maen 62 (March 1989): 1–7, (June 1989): 1–5. Mentions Jonas Magni as petitioner (June 1989 p. 4).
Source Editions
Fernow, Berthold, ed. Minutes of the Orphanmasters Court of New Amsterdam 1655–1663, Minutes of the Executive Boards of the Burgomasters of New Amsterdam, and the Records of Walewyn van Der Veen, Notary Public 1662–1664. New York City, New York: Colonial Dames of the State of New York, 1907. Debt to Daniel de Haert (p. 53).
Fernow, Berthold, and E. B. (Edmund Bailey) O’Callaghan. The Records of New Amsterdam from 1653 to 1674 Anno Domini. Vol. 3. Minutes of the court of burgomasters and schepens, Sept. 3, 1658 to Dec. 30, 1661, inclusive. New York City, New York: Knickerbocker, 1897.
Fernow, Berthold, and E. B. O’Callaghan. The Records of New Amsterdam from 1653 to 1674 Anno Domini. Vol. 5. Minutes of the Court of Burgomasters and Schepens, Jan. 8, 1664, to May 1, 1666, Inclusive. New York City, New York: Knickerbocker, 1897. Court case Van Ruijven vs. Magnus (p. 179).
Van Laer, A.J.F., trans. The Lutheran Church in New York, 1649–1772: Records in the Lutheran Church Archives at Amsterdam, Holland. New York City, New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Petition signed by Jonas Magni (p. 40).
Citations
[1] Petition from the Lutherans in New Netherland to the Directors of the West India Company, 20 May 1659, in Lutheran Church (Amsterdam), incoming correspondence from New York, including Albany and Loonenburg, 1653–1771; finding aid and images, Gemeente Amsterdam Stadsarchief (https://archief.amsterdam/inventarissen/file/5c766f73-e6ef-fdcf-42c2-a6cc9817ee68); citing call no. 232, RG 213: Archief van de Evangelisch-Lutherse Gemeente te Amsterdam; Kerkenraad en Ouderlingen [Records of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Amsterdam; Consistory and Elders], Stadsarchief Amsterdam.
[2] Cornelis van Ruijven vs. Jonas Magnus, 31 January 1665, in Court of Burgomasters and Schepens (New Amsterdam), minutes, vol. 4, 1662–1665, p. 533; imaged, “Digital Collections,” NYC Department of Records & Information Services (https://nycrecords.access.preservica.com/), identifier MSS0040_1_2_04, image 533 of 634; citing Minutes of Burgomasters and Schepens of New Amsterdam, series 1: Original Dutch records of New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam records, New York City Municipal Archives, New York City, New York.
[3] Cornelis van Ruijven vs. Jonas Magnus, 31 January 1665.
[4] Petition from the Lutherans in New Netherland to the Directors of the West India Company, 20 May 1659.
[5] Jonas Magni debt to Daniel de Haert, 16 June 1663, in Walewijn van der Veen, notary (New Amsterdam), records, 1662–1664, fol. 35r; imaged, “Digital Collections,” NYC Department of Records & Information Services (https://nycrecords.access.preservica.com/), identifier MSS0040_1_6_03, image 69 of 98; citing subseries 6: records of the notary public, series 1: Original Dutch records of New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam records, New York City Municipal Archives, New York City, New York. The archival description is for the register of Salomon LaChaire 1661–1662, but the attached scans are for the register of Walewijn van der Veen, 1662–1664.
[6] Petition from the Lutherans in New Netherland to the Directors of the West India Company, 20 May 1659.
[7] Cornelis van Ruijven vs. Jonas Magnus, 31 January 1665.
[8] Petition from the Lutherans in New Netherland to the Directors of the West India Company, 20 May 1659.
[9] Jonas Magni debt to Daniel de Haert, 16 June 1663.
[10] Jonas Magni debt to Daniel de Haert, 16 June 1663.
[11] Petition from the Lutherans in New Netherland to the Directors of the West India Company, 20 May 1659.
[12] Cornelis van Ruijven vs. Jonas Magnus, 31 January 1665.
[13] Jonas de Sweet versus Moends de Sweedt, 16 November 1660, in Court of Burgomasters and Schepens (New Amsterdam), minutes, vol. 3, 1660–1662, p. 100; imaged, “Digital Collections,” NYC Department of Records & Information Services (https://nycrecords.access.preservica.com/), identifier MSS0040_1_2_03, image 104 of 572; citing Minutes of Burgomasters and Schepens of New Amsterdam, series 1: Original Dutch records of New Amsterdam, New Amsterdam records, New York City Municipal Archives, New York City, New York.
[14] Cornelis van Ruijven vs. Jonas Magnus, 31 January 1665.
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