Mortonson–Van Leer Log Cabin

{{Infobox building

| name = Mortonson–Van Leer Log Cabin

| image = 999 Mortonson Van Leer Log Cabin.JPG

| caption = Mortonson–Van Leer Log Cabin in July 2012

| location = Swedesboro, New Jersey, U.S.

| coordinates = {{coord|39|44|58|N|75|18|25|W|display=inline,title}}

| completion_date = {{circa|1654}}

| architect =

| architectural_style = Swedish Log Cabin

| area =

| governing_body = Cumberland County Historical Society

}}

Mortonson–Van Leer Log Cabin, also known as Schorn Log Cabin, is a historic cabin and one of the last historical dwellings in Swedesboro, New Jersey, United States. It stands on the grounds of the cemetery of the Trinity Church. It is one of the oldest original log cabins of early Swedish-Finnish architecture in the United States. {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3fhBdiIbnXkC&q=Mortonson-Van+Leer+Log+Cabin&pg=PA16|title=Swedesboro and Woolwich Township|date=2012-02-20|access-date=2008-02-22|last=Stanley|first=Lois M|publisher=Arcadia |isbn=9780738563343}}

History

File:MORTONSON-SCHORN LOG CABIN; SWEDESBORO, GLOUCESTER COUNTY.jpg

=17th century=

The Mortonson–Van Leer Log Cabin was originally built along the north bank of the Raccoon River by Morton Mortenson, a Swedish-Finnish man who arrived in the Delaware Valley, at that time part of the colony of New Sweden, in May 1654. Mortenson's great-grandson, John Morton, would go on to sign the Declaration of Independence as a Pennsylvania delegate. The cabin consists of one small room with no windows and a single door and its walls are made of cedar logs and lime mortar caulk.

The cabin was owned by a local Bernardhus Van Leer, a notable physician, and later by the Van Leer family, who were noted in the anti-slavery cause.{{cite web|title=History: Local: Village of Lima, Middletown Twp, Chester (now Delaware) Co, PA|url=http://files.usgwarchives.net/pa/delaware/history/local/lima0001.txt|website=usgwarchives.net}} {{cite magazine |last1=Smith Futhey |first1=J. |year=2007|title=History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Biographies & Slavery |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sotOsiKJFPIC&pg=PA752 |magazine=History of Chester County, Pennsylvania, Biographies & Slavery|pages=687–688 |isbn=9780788443879}}

Prior to and during the American Civil War, the Van Leer family used the Log Cabin as a station for the Underground Railroad to help slaves escape to free negro communities.{{cite web|last1=Lepley |first1=Kristin |title=The Charming Small Town In New Jersey That Is Home To One Of The State's Oldest Log Cabins And Churches |url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/tripideas/the-charming-small-town-in-new-jersey-that-is-home-to-one-of-the-states-oldest-log-cabins-and-churches/ar-AA15vmQQ |website=MSN}}

The Van Leers also built nearby villages for freed slaves and financially supported the Underground Railroad.https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/33e0ccbd-9d73-4fe4-99de-1e6214e81ae1 {{Bare URL inline|date=August 2024}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp]|title=Historical Sites, Mortonson-Schorn Log Cabin|access-date=2020-02-24|website=Gloucester County, New Jersey|archive-date=2020-02-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224161835/http://www.gloucestercountynj.gov/about/historical/mortonsonschorn.asp%255D|url-status=dead}} The cabin had strong ties to Quakers and Episcopalian communities at the time.

The cabin is recorded as a friendly trading post for Native Americans.{{cite web |title=Van Leer Archives |date=8 November 2021 |url=https://vanleerarchives.org/van-leer-cabins/}}

Originally located along Raccoon Creek on the Morton Homestead, the cabin was donated to Gloucester County Historical Society by the Schorn family. In 1989, the cabin was relocated modestly, so that is now based behind the cemetery at Trinity Episcopal Church in Swedesboro.{{Cite web|url=https://hiddencityphila.org/2012/02/on-the-day-to-honor-abe-and-george-we-present-you-log-cabins/|title=On The Day To Honor Abe (And George), We Present You Log Cabins|date=2012-02-20|access-date=2020-02-24|website=Hidden City|last=Kyriakodis|first=Harry}}

Architecture

The cabin is an example of the typical Swedish-Finnish cabin architecture, utilizing notched logs which overlapped corners, brought to the area upon the settlement of the New Sweden Colony.{{Cite web|url=http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/architecture/styles/log-buildings.html|title=Log Buildings 1638 - 1880|access-date=2020-02-24|website=Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission}}