SOMERVILLE, JOHN [SSNE 4692]
- Surname
- SOMERVILLE, SOMMERVAILL, SOMMERVILLE, SOMMERFELN, SOMMERFELLN
- First name
- JOHN, JOHAN
- Title/rank
- MUSTER MASTER
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Social status
- OFFICER
Text source
John Somerville was a Scottish muster master in Swedish service. From 1627-8 he was in Captain James Bannatyne's [SSNE 1922] company of James Ramsay's regiment. In 1627 he and lieutenant James Kincaird [SSNE 4843] were sent to Scotland to obtain recruits for Bannatyne's company.
Rikskansleren Axel Oxenstiernas Skrifter och Brefvexling, first series, III, p.678. Axel Oxenstierna from Elbing, 2 November 1627; Stockholm Krigsarkiv, MR October 1628, f.95 describes himself as "Muster Skriver" (Regimental Scribe) in Bannatine/Bannatyne's company of James Ramsay's Regiment.
It was probably this man who served as lieutenant colonel to College of Justice Foot in the Army of the Solemn League and Covenant in 1644. See A list of the Several Regiments and Chief Officers of the Scottish Army quartered neer Newcastle (London 1644); Ed. Furgol, A Regimental History of the Covenanting Armies, 1639-1641 (Edinburgh, 1990), 124.
Somerville is said to have left a memoir, written in 1679 which is notorious for his proposterous claims for his own servce, missing out important details, and smearing just about anyone of note he ever served with, esp Lord Sinclair and Alexander Leslie. It was not actually written by him!
English Civil War
Service record
- SWEDEN, JAMES RAMSAY'S REGIMENT
- Arrived 1627-01-01, as MUSTER MASTER
- Departed 1630-12-31, as MUSTER MASTER
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY