Reverend Abraham Lidenius: Reverend
Abraham Lidenius arrived to America with Reverend Andrew Hesselius on May 1st, 1711. Hesselius was sent to the colonies intending to relieve Reverend Ericus Biorck with Lidenius acting as his assistant. The two men worked together with Reverend Biorck until his return to Sweden in 1712.
That same year Lidenius settled in Pennsneck and the Finns of that region desired him to act as their minister, in which he
accepted the task. In 1713, Reverend Jonas Auren died and Lidenius assumed the administration of religious matters for his
congregation. In 1715 Lidenius’ Pennsneck congregation commenced in building a place of worship, which was named St.
George’s Church. In 1726, Reverend Lidenius returned to Sweden and Reverend Peter Tranberg was sent as his replacement.
Upon Tranberg’s arrival, he and Reverend Andreas Windrufva, with the consent of the people, decided it best to split
the congregation into two parts, in which each of the ministers took the responsibility in overseeing the religious matters
of their half of the congregation.
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