Andreas Rudman

Background

Anders Rudman was born in Gavle, Gastrikland Province, Sweden, the son of Johan Augustison Rudolph and Magdalen Nilsdotter. After completing his studies and securing a degree at the University of Uppsala, he was ordained into the Church of Sweden.

Career

In February 1696, Rudman was selected to lead the delegation being sent by King Charles XI of Sweden to serve the Swedish Lutheran congregations in the former colony of New Sweden. In late July 1696, Rudman and fellow Lutheran pastor Eric Bjork left Stockholm on the ship Palmboom, destined for London. Arriving in London in early October 1696, Rudman and his party called on William Penn, Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania.

Rudman and Bjork were aboard the ship Jeffries which anchored in the James River in Virginia in June 1697. They subsequently arrived at the Swedish settlement located at the Head of Elk (present Elkton, Maryland). The Swedes had established an early trading post at this location which they called Sahakitko. Rudman and Bjork next met with the congregation at Wicaco (now South Philadelphia) and with the congregation at Crane Hook. Rudman, as the senior pastor, chose the Wicaco congregation as his own. Bjork became pastor at the church then located at Crane Hook, now Holy Trinity Church (Old Swedes).

It was evident that the old, dilapidated log churches were not adequate for the congregations that they served. It was therefore decided to replace them with new stone and brick edifices. The congregation led by Bjork soon agreed to build its new church at Christina (present Wilmington, Delaware). Rudman's congregation selected the Wicaco site in Philadelphia. For the next two years, Rudman labored hard to bring the new church into being at Wicaco. The church was sufficiently finished to permit its formal consecration during June 1700. The new church was christened Gloria Dei, now Gloria Dei (Old Swedes') Church.

In October 1701, Rudman secured an order from William Penn setting aside 10,000 acres (40 km²) up the Schuylkill River, near Manatawny Creek, for members of his congregation. The resulting settlement in Amity Township, originally known as Morlatton Village, now Douglassville, Pennsylvania, later became the location of St. Gabriel's (Old Swedes) Church, founded in 1720.

Rudman subsequently wrote to Sweden, asking that he be replaced. When his replacement, Andreas Sandel, arrived in 1702, Rudman was persuaded to serve as pastor of the Dutch Lutheran Church in New York City. After a year in New York, Rudman decided he could not continue due to his health problems. He therefore recruited his own replacement Justus Falckner, whom he ordained at Gloria Dei in November 1703. On February 23, 1704, King Carl XII of Sweden issued an order formally confirming Rudman as suffragan bishop of the Lutheran Churches in America.

Rudman remained in Philadelphia, spending part of his time writing a history of the Swedish church at Wicaco, which is still preserved in the records of Gloria Dei. In addition, he assumed the pastorate of Trinity Church in Oxford Township, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. In 1707, he added the pastorate at Christ Church, Philadelphia, to his responsibilities during the absence of its regular minister.

Personal life

Rudman became mortally ill during September 1708 and was buried in the floor of the church in front of the altar. Rudman's will named his wife Elisabeth executrix and made bequests to his two surviving children, Magdalena (Mrs. Andrew Robeson, III) and Anna Catharine. His widow lived on the Schuylkill River on land her husband had acquired in 1708 from her brother, Peter Mattson, Jr. She died on September 5, 1736.