Israel Acrelius
| Israel Acrelius | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
December 4, 1714 Österåker, Sweden |
| Died | April 25, 1800 (aged 85) Fellingsbro, Sweden |
| Religion | Lutheran |
Israel Acrelius (December 4, 1714 – April 25, 1800) was a noted Swedish Lutheran missionary and priest.
He was born in Österåker, , Sweden, in 1714 to Johan and Sara Acrelius. His brother was the surgeon Olof af Acrel. He attended Uppsala University and was ordained as a priest of the Church of Sweden in 1743. He served as the pastor of churches in Riala, Sweden starting in 1745.
Beginning in 1749, Acrelius took a post in Wilmington, Delaware, site of a Swedish Lutheran congregation which dated to the time of the New Sweden colony. At that time, Holy Trinity remained a Swedish Lutheran parish. The church would remain so until placed under the jurisdiction of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1791. Acrelius served simultaneously as both pastor and provost to the Swedish congregations in the area. He was a minister at St. Paul's Church in Chester, Pennsylvania in 1756.
He learned English and provided aid to German Lutherans in Pennsylvania. He also made notable zoological, botanical, and geological collections.
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