Johan Papegoja

Who was Johan Papegoja?

Johan Papegoja was the fifth governor of the Swedish Colony of New Sweden.

Johan Papegoja had been one of the early Swedish settlers on the Delaware. Papegoja is the Swedish word for parrot. He served as a Lieutenant at New Sweden under governor Johan Björnsson Printz. During 1644, Johan Papegoja was married to Armegott Printz, the daughter of Governor Printz. Johan Papegoja made several voyages between Sweden and the Delaware River colony. He traveled back and forth during 1643 aboard the Fama, in 1647 on the Swan and during 1655 on board the Mercurius .

Papegoja was the acting governor of New Sweden from the time of the departure of Johan Björnsson Printz during October 1653 until the arrival of Johan Classon Risingh during May 1654. Subsequently Papegoja was assigned the duty of sailing to Sweden to transfer additional settlers to the colony. The Mercurius left Sweden during November 1655 and arrived in the Delaware River during March 1656. By the time the ship arrived, New Sweden had surrendered to the Dutch West India Company. In short time, Johan Papegoja had a falling-out with the Dutch and departed for Sweden in 1656.