Bernard Dahlgren (1784-1824)

He was born in Sweden and graduated from the University of Upsala. In 1804, he found himself facing prosecution and his property was confiscated by the Crown when he was caught distributing leaflets promoting republican principles. He fled to southern Europe and - given his status as a "turbulent republican" - was somewhat surprisingly appointed the Swedish Vice-Consul at Oporto (Portugal) and then Barcelona. Caught up in the Napoleonic Wars, all Swedish subjects were soon afterwards expelled and he sailed from Spain to New York in 1806. He found work as a cashier with Thomas Lewis & Co. that took him briefly to Haiti in 1807/08, but the tropics did not agree with him and passing through Baltimore he settled in Philadelphia. He opened a mercantile store on Front Street and was Secretary to the New Theatre on Chestnut Street, a co-founder of the Mercantile Library of Philadelphia, and a Governor of the Pennsylvania Hospital. By 1815, he was listed as the Swedish Vice-Consul at Philadelphia. His son, Charles, explained: “My father refused to desert his King Gustavus to the interest of Napoléon, who placed Bernadotte on the throne.” As a reward for his loyalty, the monarchy appointed him Swedish and Norwegian Consul at Philadelphia, posts that he held until his death in 1824. He was married there in 1808 to Martha Rowan and they were the parents of five children.