Caulk Genealogy
Caulk Family History
In an article by Dr. Peter Craig of The Swedish Colonial Society, the first Caulk in my line was Oliver Caulk, alias Olle Matthiasson alias Olof Isgrå, a soldier who came to New Sweden on the ship Örnen (Eagle) in 1654.You may see his full article at http://www.colonialswedes.org/forefathers/Matthiasson.html
Olle was given the nickname of Isgrå, meaning "ice-gray," probably because of his prematurely gray hair.
Olof Isgrå first saw military action on 21 May 1654 when the Dutch surrendered Fort Casimir at present New Castle to the Swedes without firing a shot. (The small garrison there had run out of gunpowder.) The fort was renamed Fort Trinity by Governor Rising and placed under the command of Captain Sven Skute.
On 31 August 1655, in an effort to recapture Fort Trinity, the Dutch attacked Fort Trinity with seven ships and out numbered the Swedes 10:1.
When word reached the soldiers in the fort that the Dutch troops outnumbered the Swedes by a 10:1 margin many soldiers, including Olof Isgrå, decided it was hopeless to try to defend the fort. Captain Skute then addressed his soldiers and demanded, "Whoever wants to be a loyal fellow and serve his ruler like an honest man, step forth from this rebellious lot and come with me." During this confusion, Olof Isgrå jumped over the wall of the fort and surrendered himself to the Dutch, also informing them of the division of opinion within the fort. Lacking the support of his own soldiers, Skute surrendered the fort to Stuyvesant the next morning.
Olle planted roots with his wife Anne and three children at "Worlds End", He then became known as Oliver Caulk (This being that his hair was chalk white and "Calk" now spelled "Kalk" in Swedish means "chalk"
On 6 June 1674, Oliver Caulk, described as a native of Sweden, became a naturalized citizen of Maryland, meaning that he could convey or will his land to his children or others. By 1683, Oliver Caulk had been named a Commissioner in Cecil County.
Oliver Caulk died at "World's End" shortly before 30 May 1685, when his widow Ann and his eldest son Isaac Caulk were named administrators of his estate. The inventory, filed 20 days later, showed that his estate included a horse, a mare, 2 yearlings, 8 cows, 4 steers, 2 heifers, 38 hogs, 5 deerskins, 2 guns, a number of beds, tools for the carpenter and cooper trades and two indentured women servants.
Olle was given the nickname of Isgrå, meaning "ice-gray," probably because of his prematurely gray hair.
Olof Isgrå first saw military action on 21 May 1654 when the Dutch surrendered Fort Casimir at present New Castle to the Swedes without firing a shot. (The small garrison there had run out of gunpowder.) The fort was renamed Fort Trinity by Governor Rising and placed under the command of Captain Sven Skute.
On 31 August 1655, in an effort to recapture Fort Trinity, the Dutch attacked Fort Trinity with seven ships and out numbered the Swedes 10:1.
When word reached the soldiers in the fort that the Dutch troops outnumbered the Swedes by a 10:1 margin many soldiers, including Olof Isgrå, decided it was hopeless to try to defend the fort. Captain Skute then addressed his soldiers and demanded, "Whoever wants to be a loyal fellow and serve his ruler like an honest man, step forth from this rebellious lot and come with me." During this confusion, Olof Isgrå jumped over the wall of the fort and surrendered himself to the Dutch, also informing them of the division of opinion within the fort. Lacking the support of his own soldiers, Skute surrendered the fort to Stuyvesant the next morning.
Olle planted roots with his wife Anne and three children at "Worlds End", He then became known as Oliver Caulk (This being that his hair was chalk white and "Calk" now spelled "Kalk" in Swedish means "chalk"
On 6 June 1674, Oliver Caulk, described as a native of Sweden, became a naturalized citizen of Maryland, meaning that he could convey or will his land to his children or others. By 1683, Oliver Caulk had been named a Commissioner in Cecil County.
Oliver Caulk died at "World's End" shortly before 30 May 1685, when his widow Ann and his eldest son Isaac Caulk were named administrators of his estate. The inventory, filed 20 days later, showed that his estate included a horse, a mare, 2 yearlings, 8 cows, 4 steers, 2 heifers, 38 hogs, 5 deerskins, 2 guns, a number of beds, tools for the carpenter and cooper trades and two indentured women servants.
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