Stidhams* Buried at Old Swedes Church,
Wilmington, Delaware

Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church was built in 1699 and is on record as the oldest church in continuous use in the United States. The earliest known Stidham* buried on its grounds is Elizabeth Stedham (d. 9 Nov 1717; no headstone), wife of Hindric Stedham, though there is undoubtedly many more lying anonymously throughout the graveyard and unknown to us today due to the erosion of markers such as wood or other perisable materials, and incomplete record keeping by the early church pastors.

The family's patriarch, Dr. Timen Stiddem, died in 1686, 13 years before this church and its location were established and is more than likely not buried anywhere on the grounds. The exception would be if his body was moved here many years after his death from one of three more likely burial locations: 1. The earlier Crane Hook Church burying ground; 2. The Stidham burying ground near the old Crane Hook Church; 3. On the grounds of his old homestead near 14th and Poplar Streets in Old Wilmington, which today no longer exists.

Of the 64 known Stidhams* buried there, 24 are Stedhams, but only four have existing headstones with burial locations known, the remaining are not on the master plot plan; 40 are Stidhams, and all but two having existing headstones and known burial locations. It is assumed that all Stidhams* listed are either descendants of Timen Stiddem, or married to someone who was and took on the Stidham* name at marriage, yet there's many buried here that we aren't exactly sure as to where they fit into the family tree. Where we are certain as to the identity of individuals listed, the number in brackets accompanying their name signifies that person’s descendant number from the book, The Descendants of Dr. Timothy Stidham, Vol. 1, by Jack Stidham, 2001.

As an aside, the Timen Stiddem Society is a life member of the Old Swedes Foundation and has a young tree planted on the grounds in memory of the society, as noted on a plaque at its base (Memorial Tree Program sponsored by the Old Swedes Foundation, 2000).

The following Stidhams* are taken from the Index of Burials at Old Swedes Church, giving the:

• Name
• Date(s)
• Relationship (if known)
• Lot No. (if known)
• Permit No. (if applicable)
• Reference source and page number from one of the following:

A=Original Old Swedes "Kyrko Bok," 1750-1886
B=Horace Burr's translation of above, 1713-1799
C=Small black registry of permits 1114-1472, 1914-1945
D=1899 burials listed by lot number, 1749-1913+
E=Register No. 1 (or E), 1886-1891
F=Register No. 2 (or F), 1891-1895
G=Register No. 3 (or G), 1895-1903
H=Register No. 4 (or H), 1904-1912
J=Register No. 5, 1913-1933
K=Register No. 6, 1933-1992
L=1899 Cemetery Survey (Post Binder), all
M=Trinity Episcopal Register, 1992 on

Those with photographs are listed first along with a link (click on small photo) to a larger version of the photo, along with a more descriptive caption. The remainder are listed alphbetically as they appear in the index.

Stidhams* With Headstones

Stedham, John S.; b. 1797; d. 22 Feb 1828; Lot 852; D 102
Stedham, Rebecca; b. 1746; d. 27 Dec 1791; wife of Joseph; Lot 851; D 102
Stedham, Rev. Joseph; b. 1742; d. 22 Apr 1791; Lot 850; D 102

Stidham, Ann G.; b. 1776; d. 4 Nov 1830; wife of Joseph [146]; Lot 319; D 38
Stidham, Joseph [146]; b. 1862; d. 20 Sep 1863; Lot 320; Permit 404

Stidham, Annie B. [554]; b. 1853; d. 9 May 1918; Lot 156; Permit 1185; C 8
Stidham, Sarah R. [556]; b. 1858; d. 11 May 1918; Reinterment (shares headstone with above); Lot 156; Permit 1186; C 8

The flat stone laying in the center of photo has the following two names:

Stidham, Mary Bondale [555]; b. 1857; d. 6 Sep 1861; dau. of Jonas B. [322]; Lot 156; Permit 181; A 165; Mary was the third daughter of Jonas Benjain [322] Stidham and his wife, Ellen (Foreman).
Stidham, Josie; age 10 months (no dates); dau. of Jonas B. [322]; Lot 156; D 30

Stidham, Jonas B. [322]; b. 1827; d. 29 Nov 1876; Lot 156; Permit 10687; D 30
Stidham, Ellen B.; b. 1827; d. 7 Jan 1888; wife of Jonas B [322]. Lot 156; Permit 335; D 30

Stidham, Catherine; b. 1778; d. 26 Feb 1863; wife of David [138]; Lot 474; Permit 355; A 167
Stidham, David [138]; d. 2 Apr 1838; Lot 475; A 154

Stidham, Christiana; b. 1744; d. 6 Jan 1786; wife of Cornelius [72]; Lot 317; D 38
Stidham, Cornelius [72]; b. 1736; d. 7 Mar 1803; Lot 318; D 38

Stidham, Ingeborg; b. 1690; d. 1 Apr 1748; Lot 603; D 72
Stidham, Levi S.; d. 1835; Lot 605; D 72
Stidham, Isaac, Sr. [133]; b. 1762; d. 19 Oct 1821; Lot 607; A 152

Stidham, Joseph W. [257]; b. 1807; d. 5 May 1831; son of Isaac [142]; Lot 358; D 44
Stidham, Sarah; b. 1778; d. 25 Apr 1832; wife of Isaac [142]; Lot 359; D 44
Stidham, Isaac [142]; b. 1767; d. 25 Apr 1832; Lot 360; D 44

Stidham, William Vaneman [202]; b. 1783; d. 1 Sep 1789; son of Lucas; Lot 333; D 42
Stidham, Joanna; b. 1758; d. 28 Nov 1789; wife of Lucas [126]; Lot 334; D 42
Stidham, Lucas [126]; b. 1756; d. 19 Jan 1803; Lot 335; D 42

Remainder of Stidhams* Without Headstones

Note: comments of known Stidhams* are indented text with information derived from The Descendants of Dr. Timothy Stidham, Vol. 1, by Jack Stidham. All other text is as written in the Burial Index.

Stedham, Adam [29]; d. 9 Dec 1723; B 278

Adam [29] Stedham was the son of Erasmus (Asmund) [4] Stedham and his wife Margareta Samuelsdotter (Petersson).

Stedham, Anders; d. 22 Dec 1726; B 300

Stedham, Casparus; d. 4 Jul 1718; L 128

Stedham, Catherine [101]; d. 3 Jul 1718; dau. of Christopher [33]; B 245

Catherine [101] Stedham was the daughter of Christopher [33] Stedham and his wife Johanna (Van der Culen).

Stedham, Elizabeth; b. 1688; d. 5 Mar 1737; Lot 831 (no photo at this time); B 357

Stedham, Elizabeth; d. 1743; B 383

Stedham, Elizabeth; d. 9 Nov 1717; wife of Hindric [32]; B 242

Stedham, Helena; d. 4 May 1724; wife of Erasmus [20]; B 287

Stedham, Isaac; b. 1740; d. 1753; L 128

Stedham, Israel [66b]; d. 15 Feb 1719; son of Erasmus [20]; B 253

Israel [66b] Stedham was the son of Erasmus (Asmund) Lucasson [20] Stedham and his first wife, Helena (widow of Peter Peterson-Caupeny).

Stedham, Lucas [67]; b. 1726; d. 1753; L 128

Lucas [67] Stedham was the son of Jonas Lucasson [21] Stedham and his second wife, Helena (Derickson).

Stedham, Lucas, Sr. [3]; d. 8 Dec 1726; B 299 (may be the marker with initials "L.S." in the photo section above)

Stedham, Margaret; d. 1743; B 383

Stedham, Maria [54]; d. 28 Apr 1724; dau. of Lucas, Jr. [18]; B 287

Maria [54] Stedham was the daughter of Lucas Lucasson [18] Stedham, Jr., and his wife Ingeborg (Jaquet).

Stedham, Maria [66c]; d. 18 Jul 1721; dau. of Erasmus [20]; B 267

Maria [66c] Stedham was the daughter of Erasmus (Asmund) Lucasson [20] Stedham and his first wife, Helena (widow of Peter Peterson-Caupeny).

Stedham, (no name) [91]; d. 1739; son of Hendricks [32]; B 357

Cornelius [91] Stedham was the son of Hendrick [32] Stedham and his second wife, Catherine (Vandever).

Stedham, (no name); d. 21 Oct 1735; wife of Hendricks [32]; B 356

Catherine (Vandever) Stedham, second wife of Hendrick [32] Stedham.

Stedham, (no name) [106a]; d. 1734; child of Christopher [33]; B 356

Unnamed child of Christopher [33] Stedham and his wife, Johanna (Van der Culen).

Stedham, Timothy [35]; d. 21 Jun 1763; L 128

Timothy Benedictsson [35] Stedham was the son of Benedictus [6] Stedham and his wife, Margaret Ollesdotter (Thorsson).

Stedham, Timothy [19]; d. 7 Mar 1754; L 128

Timothy Lucasson [19] Stedham was the son of Lucas [3] Stedham and his wife, Karen/Karin (Tussey).

Stedham, Tobias [81]; b. 1750; d. 1750; son of Asmund [30]; L 128

Tobias [81] Stedham was the son of Erasmus (Asmund) [30] Stedham, Jr., and his wife, Christina (Hendrickson).

Stidham, Mary; d. 24 Nov 1764; wife of L (?); L 131

Stidham, Mary; b. 1747; d. 1751; L 131

Researched and photographed on February 19, 2002, by Richard (DCM2) and Karen Steadham, with the aid of a master graveyard plot plan provided by Old Swedes Foundation Archivist, Ray Nichols, and guidance by Old Swedes Foundation Director, Jo Thompson. All photos throughout this site are copyright © 2002 by Richard L. Steadham (webmaster) and may not be used without permission.

For more on Old Swedes Church, be sure to visit their website at: www.oldswedes.org

The Swedish Colonial Society has more information on Old Swedes Church at:
www.colonialswedes.org/Churches/HolTri.html