Person:Petronella Thorsson (1)

Petronella Ollesdotter Thorsson

Petronella Ollesdotter, born in New Sweden c. 1645, married c. 1665 Captain John Carr, chief officer for New York's possessions on the Delaware. They lived in the town of New Castle. After the Dutch recapture of former New Netherland in 1673, they fled with their children and Patrick Carr (John's bachelor brother) to Cecil County, Maryland, where they were granted a 2,000-acre tract known as "St. John's Manor" on the west side of Elk River. After a prolonged illness, Carr died in 1676 and Petronella remarried George Oldfield, also English. To handle their New Castle County affairs, the Carr family relied upon Hans Block and their Tussey relatives. In 1695, George and Petronella Oldfield and her son Richard Carr sold Carr's lands in Cecil County and moved to Chester in Chester County, Pa., where Petronella died after 1697. She had five known children

1.   Olof Thorsson of Swanwick and his Tussey Descendants by Dr. Peter Stebbins Craig, in The Swedish Colonial Society.
2.   Colonial Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). Records of the court of New Castle on Delaware, 1676-1681. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Colonial Society of Pennsylvania, c1904, c1934 (Lancaster, Pa. : Wickersham Print.))
   Vol. 1, Pages 61, 62.

   Last Will & Testament
   
   “Know all men by these presents that I John Carr of Elk River in Cecil County in ye Province of Maryland, hath made out all my Right and title of my real or personal Estate now Lying or being In Delaware River which by Patent or otherwise may appear to be mine, unto my well beloved wife Peteronela Carr, provided that my said wife shall pay my debts due to any person or person in New York or the said River of Delaware. Further I do give my wife Peternella Power to sell or dispose all or any of the said Estate either by herself, or her attorney, and further I do give her or her attorney full power to ask demand Sue Recover, Imprison or Impeach for all debts due to me in the said River of Delaware, and to Give discharges or acquittances for such debts b her or her attorney Received. In Witness whereof I have herunto set my hand & seal this tenth day of April 1675.
   Signed & Sealed in the presence of us:
   Jan Cosyns
   (The mark of)
   Patrick P C Carr
   
   Signed John Carr (L S)

3.   30 Provincial Court Proceedings, 1677. Liber N N p. 327
   
   Ebeneser Millam against George Oldfeild late of Cecil County Gent & Petronella his wife the Relict & Executrix of the last will & testament of John Carr
   
   George Oldfeild & Petronella his wife executrix John Carr deceased was summoned to answer unto Ebeneser Millam of a plea that they render unto him the full and just Summe of two thousand eight hundred pounds of good sound merchantable tobacco & caske which from him they unjustly deteine.
   
   And whereupon the Said Ebeneser Millam by George Parker his Attorney Saith that whereas the Said John Carr the twenty fifth day of October One thousand Six hundred Seventy five by his certaine writeing Obligatory signed with the hand of the Said John Carr & here in Court produced whose date is the day & yeare above- said did acknowledge himselfe indebted unto Ebeneser Millam merchant in the full and just summe of two thousand eight hundred pounds of good sound merchantable tobacco & caske to containe the same to be paid upon all demands in Baltemore or Cecil County conveniently unto the said Ebeneser Millam his heirs or assignes and for the true performance thereof he the said John Carr did bind himselfe his heirs executors admrs firmly by those presents notwithstanding the said John Carr the said summe of two thousand eight hundred pounds of tobacco to him the said Ebeneser in his life time hath not paid according to the tenor of the said writeing Obligatory nor the Said Petronella while she was Sole to whom letters testamentary of the goods and chattells of the said John Carr was committed nor the said George Oldfeild Since espousalls betweene them celebrated though often thereunto required hath not paid but the Same to pay hath refused & still doth refuse whereupon the Said Ebeneser Saith he is dampnified and hath losse to the value of five thousand pounds of tobacco & thereupon he bringeth his suite. Now here at this day to witt the twentith day of June in the second yeare of the Dominion of Charles Lord Baltemore & Anno Dom 1677 Came the said George Oldfeild in his proper person & Saith nothing in barr or avoidance of the action aforesaid of him the said Ebeneser whereupon the said Ebenesar remaineth against the said George & Petronella thereupon undefended. Whereupon it is granted by the Court here that the said Ebeneser Millam recover against the estate of the said John Carr as well the summe of two thousand eight hundred pounds of tobacco the debt aforesaid as also the Summe of five hundred & Sixteene pounds of tobacco cost of Suite.— but so as execution stay till the tenth of October next.