November 27, 2024

A FAMILY HISTORY BLOG BY LAVERNA COLSON SMITH

http://swedishrootsamericanbranches.com

Searching for Sven

Sven Bråbergen, father of Carl Johan Bråbergen, has been difficult to document. According to Arne Ivarsson, a regional historian, he first appeared in the court records of Östergötland’s Lysing District in 1703 as Sven von Brobergen., an army officer. The court case involved a dispute between neighbors in respect to the deceased Anders Skoug’s property in Kushult, Ödehög Parish. Sven represented his wife Brijitta Skoug’s interest in the case involving her father, a former Ödeshög Parish sheriff and administrator. Arne Ivarsson assumed Sven and his family lived in Kushult , Ödeshog Parish, in the early 1700’s. This was an incorrect assumption as Sven actually lived in Skärstad Parish, a neighboring parish in Jönköping County with his wife, Brijitta, and family on the farmland she inherited from her father, Anders Skoug. It was not until the mid to late 1720’s that Sven and his family moved their residence to Kushult, Ödeshög Parish, Östergötland. Although Sven’s name was originally written von Brobergen, in the old court records, it was later written as Bråbergen.

Below is the preamble to court case involving the heirs of Anders Skoug’s Ödeshsög Parish property. Named are his son, Johannes Skoug, a rector of Furingstad Parish Church, and Sven von Brobergen of Skiersta (old name for Skärstad Parish) who represented his wife, Brijitta Skoug’s, interest in the case. There are more heirs named, but these are the only two legible enough to document.

Sven Bråbergen – Birth Date and Place, Unknown

As of this writing I have not discovered nor documented a birthdate or birthplace for Sven Bråbergen. He died on April 11, 1742, but his age of death is misstated as 42 – it may be 72 and that would put his birth date at 1672. Most researchers use this date but it is undocumented. Likewise, Sven’s marriage date and place are missing.

I was first able to document Sven Bråbegen and Brijitta Skoug in the Skärstad Parish birth and christening records as parents of Carl Johan, in 1706.. Their first child, born outside of Skärstad Parish, was born in 1703 so they likely married around 1700. Unfortunately, marriage records in Skärstad Parish between 1700 and 1705 are missing. Three more children were born to the couple in that parish. No relative of Sven appears to have witnessed the christenings as would have been the case if he was native to the area. What brought him to Skärstad Parish in Jönköping County still remains a mystery.

Sven Bråbergen and Brigitta Skoug – Marriage and Children

Sven was fortunate in marrying Brigitta Skoug and his status must have been relatively high to have made such a prize catch. Brigitta was the daughter of Anders Skoug, a former military captain, parish administrator and bailiff appointed by the very wealthy and influential Count Per Bonde, the Younger. Additionally, she was the granddaughter of the first mayor of Gränna in Jönköping County, Lars Svensson Crantzberg, also appointed by the illustrious Count. Her mother was his daughter, Dorothea Crantzberg. Brijitta was a woman of substance and property, inheriting farmland and status from her parents and grandparents.

Sven and Brijitta’s children were born between 1703 and 1717.

First and Foremost a Soldier……

Sven Bråbergen was first and foremost a soldier caught up in the long, bloody struggle for Sweden to retain its supremacy in Northern Europe. (1700-1721). Although he was referred to as an army officer as early as 1703, I have only been able to document him as serving in the Svea Life Guards – an elite unit of enlisted men with wages paid directly by the Crown. Sven served with the Livgardet till Fot (infantry) and was found in the Muster Rolls of 1713, 1714, and 1715 where he was serving as the Mönsterskrivaren , an Underofficer in charge of maintaining the Muster Rolls, bookkeeping and logistics of the company. During this time, he served with Captain Carl Adlerfeltz who was killed in battle in Swedish Pomerania in 1715 and later with the aristocrat Captain Joachim Aminoff who survived the War. Sven appears to have retired before the Great Northern War ended in 1721.

The Svea Life Guard

The Svea Life Guard is a regiment that originated in 1520 as a guard unit for King Gustav Vasa. By 1700, the regiment consisted of mounted soldiers and infantry garrisoned near Stockholm, The Regiment consisted of well-trained officers and soldiers who often trained other units throughout Sweden and served as the training ground for the Swedish Army before the War Academy was originated. The Regiment continues to be active today and serves as a guard unit for the royal family of Sweden at Drottingham Palace in Stockholm. In fact, it is the oldest still operational unit in the world.

Brigitta Skoug died in Ödeshög Parish on March 7, 1729 at 56 years of age, according to her death record. No cause of death was given but even for the time that was a fairly young age for a woman of her status. Her husband, Sven, took no time in remarrying to a much younger woman, Maria Sjöman, on October 16, 1729. The couple moved to an adjoining farm, Näteryd, and became the parents of three children. At that point Sven’s son, Carl Johan and son-in-law, Carl Gustaf Björkegren took over the Kushult farm and Rusthåll.

1. Daniel – 1730 in Ödeshög Parish
2. Abraham – 1734 (?) Unknown most likely Ödeshög Parish
3. Maria – 1737 Ödeshög Parish

Sven died in 1742 and as indicated above, his age at death is incorrect. A copy of Sven’s estate inventory follows. It appears to be a fair and thoughtful and includes all his children. Unfortunately, his son in law Carl Gustaf Björkegren was put in charge of the younger children’s inheritance and borrowed against the capital. Younger son Abraham sued for his inheritance, a settlement was made and Dordi Greta and her husband Carl Gustaf left the area. No record of them has been found.

Clearing up Errors and Misconceptions

1. Sven’s wife’s name was Brijitta Skoug; not Maria Skoug.
2. Sven and Brijitta married sometime in 1699-1700 in Skärstad Parish – marriage records are missing in Skärstad Parish between 1700-1705.
3. Brijitta Skoug and Brita Skoug are sisters. and not the same people.
4. Brjitta died in 1729 in Ödeshög Parish; the records incorrectly state the name Brita. Another Ancestry entry indicated she he died in 1705 in another parish; that is incorrect.
5. Brita Skoug disappeared from the tax records around 1716. Sven and Brijitta did not move into Kushult until the late 1720’s but owned and oversaw both farms.
6. Sven’s daughter Maria Helena is also referred to as Magdelena.

Fascinating Facts #8 – About Sven

1. Sven was a career Army Office who was often away from home.
2. He was litigious – often suing his neighbors.
3. He cursed at the rector of his parish church and was fined.
4. He tried to get out of paying his debts indicating his children were to inherit their mother’s properties and they could responsible.
5. After his wife’s death, he remarried quickly to much younger wife and had three children by her.
6. His son’s reputation far exceeded his in the parish.

Next Blog: Anders Skoug and Sweden’s Century of Greatness

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Swedish Pronunciation Guide for English Speakers

The Swedish Language has 3 extra vowels and some challenging consonant combinations.   Here is a quick guide to pronouncing these vowels and tricky consonants

Åå           Sounds like the “o” in for

Ää          Sounds like the “ai” in fair

Öö          Sounds like the “ea” in earn

Y             Sounds  like the Y at the end of Terry

SJ,sj       Pronounced like “wh” – a voiceless fricative. 

K, k       Pronounced like “sh” before the soft vowels of:    e, i y, ä or ö