age 52 and living with his wife and three children in New Sweden in 1880 census3
name given as Nikolaus Clase in 1880 New Sweden census;8
Nicholas and Anna Clase travelled to New Sweden, ME with three of their children, Karl, Agnes, and infant daughter Hilma. Hilma died on the way up the St. John River. Her parents brought her to New Sweden where she was buried. W. W. Thomas picked Nicholas Clase as his assistant in the Swedish colony. Nicholas named his daughter Elizabeth after W. W. Thomas.15
He emigrated from No 1 Staragården, Nora Onsala, Halland, Sweden on June 18th, 1870 with his wife and 3 children: Agnes, Karl, and Hilma.16

One of three men (Nils Olsson, N. P. Clase, and Andrew Wiren, Lutheran pastor) on the committee on publication 1881 for “Celebration of Decennial Anniversary of the Founding of New Sweden, Maine”;5
Spoke English, kept colony accounts, in charge of the storehouse, credited men with $1 per day for labor on the roads;5
He is listed as an assessor in the first slate of officers when New Sweden became a plantation on April 6, 1876 (p. 47).5
A letter published in Sweden in the newspaper “Amerika” regarding the status of the colony in New Sweden, ME dated Feb. 17, 1871 (page B-2) asked people to come to Maine instead of the Far West (where people send to ME expressing a desire to come to ME). Among those signing the letter was “N. P. Clase, Laur. Stenstrom, fran Varmland.”5

(page F-1) Andrew Wiren, Lutheran pastor, wrote a letter to the “Sunrise” newspaper in Presque Isle that was published Sept 2, 1874. He visited every household in New Sweden to gather data to support the success of the colony and refute unfair criticism. Among many listed was N. P. Clase, three in family, here 4 years.5
Dinner was served at the home of Capt. Clase when reporters made a trip to New Sweden with W. W. Thomas Jr. in 1878.5
N. P. Clase was one of five from the 22 original settlers living in New Sweden on June 25, 1895 at the Quarter Centennial Celebration. He was seated on the platform, stood up and was presented to the audience at the ceremony. A few settlers had left town and others had died. (page 17)5
Nicholas was a retired sea captain when he joined the Colony (p. J-62).5
The first post office was in Clase’s log cabin. (p. R-2)5
Clase kept the Immigrant Register partly in his own handwriting and partly by an assistant (his own name is first on the list; the individual pages were later bound into a book;) He assisted Thomas in alloting of the farm lots and showed the new settlers to their designated lots;6
He spoke seven languages including Chinese and was a seafaring man for 30 years. He was captured in China for seven years while on a trading mission; (Smuggling salt in exchange for spices was punishable by death but he was not killed because he spoke Chinese;)19
Clase’s 72nd birthday was celebrated at his house with a party, as noted in the Aroostook Republican;20