BELFRAGE, JOHN [SSNE 4339]

Surname

BELFRAGE, BEFRITZ

First name

JOHN, HANS

Title/rank

MAYOR

Nationality

SCOT

Region

KIRKCALDY, FIFE

Social status

NOBILITY

Text source

John (aka Hans) Belfrage was the son of Henry Belfrage of Pennington and Jonetta (Janet?) Balram (daughter of James Balram of Balram and Elizabeth Stuart). He was born in Kirkcaldy, Scotland on 19th January 1614. Hans arrived in Sweden with his mother "Jonetta" in 1624 and settled in Bratte, where he became a merchant by 1638. He then moved to Vänersborg where the city was moved to in 1648. Hans and his mother became known as Befritz instead of Belfrage in Sweden. He does not appear in the lists of citizens until 1639 when a "Hans Baffuend" is noted amongst others who earned their living through the timber trade. In 1652 he obtained a royal letter allowing him to recoup losses incurred during the war with Denmark in 1645 through the cutting of 300 masts. As a purveyor of masts Hans had a lot of dealings with the admiralty college He later also became the second most important iron trader in the area. In 1665 the amount of iron bar he traded in equalled ca. 16% of the total ships pounds weight of iron traded that year. According to the legal records Hans displayed typical characteristics of the Scottish nation, being both a prudent and successful businessman. He was a councillor there from 1652-1666, taking his oath as a councillor in 1657. 

Belfrage played an important role in seeking royal privilege for Vänersborg for the mast trade. He was also city mayor in 1660, 25th of June. By 1645 he was wealthy enough to lend Vänersborg money during war with Denmark, and possibly did so again during the 1660s. When he reported a burglary in his home in 1658, the property missing was apparently of considerable value. 

In 1662 Belfrage lent 1000 riksdaler to Bengt Oxenstierna. His wealth and social status meant that he often had important visitors. Hans maintained connections with other Scots in Sweden, namely James Lenck (probably [SSNE 4359]) and Colonel William Barclay [SSNE 1611]. He produced proof of his Scottish origins from the magistrates and Belfrage family of Culross in 1665, and was ennobled in 1666, 3rd of December. He met some difficulty in seeking introduction into the Riddarhus (House of Nobility): the discussion about whether to allow him in mentioned his "bad reputation". Hans' sons would benefit from noble status before their father who had to clear his name of the rumours circulating, probably from his enemy, mayor Claudius Kloot of Vänersborg. He was introduced in 1668 under nr.782. This meant that he could no longer represent the town at parliament and he ceased to be a councillor. 

Hans continued to trade as a nobleman, much to the dismay of his merchant rivals, who obtained a royal order for him to cease trading in 1675. He contributed through both money lending and recruitment (70 garrison soldiers) as well as personal participation in the defense of the border regions from the Danes in the Hannibal and Gyldenlowe campaigns. He was married twice, to Elisabet Segolsdotter (daughter of Bratte's mayor) in her 2nd marriage, who died in 1657. He then married Britta Roos who was of Swedish nobility. 

Belfrage died on 13 November 1688 and was buried in Naglum church and his tomb was decorated by a sculpted slab depicting Hans and his two wives. He had seven sons and five daughters (apparently Elisabet bore him 10 children). His sons were Lt. Colonel Henrik Johan Belfrage (1640-1706) [SSNE 4340]; Lt. Colonel Bengt Belfrage (1642-1726)[SSNE 4761]; Jakob (d.1669)[SSNE 4762]; and Captain George Belfrage (1651-1714) [SSNE 4763]. His daughters were Jonetta [SSNE 6356], Christina [SSNE 6357], Elisabet [SSNE 6358], Maria [SSNE 6359] and Ingrid [SSNE 6360].

 

Sources: 

Swedish Riksarkiv, Biographica Microcard, E01234 1/9. Several letters including 1/10/1666 and 16/01/1678 from Halmstadt; https://sok.riksarkivet.se/bildvisning/A0069886_00030#?c=&m=&s=&cv=29&xywh=-682%2C911%2C6842%2C3946

 

Swedish Riksarkiv, Se vid afd. I:II, 1668-1676, Brev till Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie a)fran enskilda; G. Elgenstierna, Svenska Adelns Ättartavlor, vol 1, pp.265-266; Palmskiöldiska Samlingen, vol.158, p.69.

H. Marryat, One Year in Sweden, including a visit to the isle of Gotland (London, 1862), p.486; Otto Donner, A brief sketch of the Scottish families in Finland and Sweden (Helsinfors, 1884), p.20; Svenska Män och Kvinnor (8 vols., 1942-1955), I, p.199; C. F. Corin, Vänersborgs Historia, vol.1, (Stockholm, 1944), pp.80, 118, 125, 218-230; Steve Murdoch, Network North: Scottish Kin, Commercial and Covert Associations in Northern Europe, 1603-1746 (Brill, Leiden, 2006), pp.181, 215.

Service record

SWEDEN, BRATTE

Arrived 1624-01-01, as MERCHANT

Capacity MERCHANT, purpose TRADE, MERCHANT, COMMERCE

SWEDEN, VANERSBORG

Arrived 1648-01-01, as MERCHANT

Departed 1656-12-31, as MERCHANT

Capacity BURGESS, IRON MERCHANT, purpose CIVIC, COMMERCE

 

Arrived 1657-01-01, as COUNCILLOR

Departed 1660-06-24, as COUNCILLOR

Capacity COUNCILLOR, purpose CIVIC

 

Arrived 1660-06-25, as MAYOR

Departed 1688-12-31, as MAYOR

Capacity MAYOR, BURGESS BORGMASTARE, purpose CIVIC