FINLAY, JOHAN [SSNE 5725]
Text source
John Finlay, Johan Finlou was a wealthy Scottish merchant originally from Montrose who lived in Hedemora in Sweden. He had some contact with the Guthries of Stockholm as for a while James Guthrie, future pastor and lector in logic and Greek, lived with Finlay while he was trained in the ways of the mercantile trade (1622-23). The families fell out however, and little more is known of Finlay after this, except that in February 1627, Montrose council ordered a letter to be directed to ‘Jon findlo in Swading’ to receive from him such sums and other things he ‘wald send for support of the hospitell’. Later on in April 1627, the council took a similar measure to collect whatever Findlay granted ‘in fauors of the hospitell’. On both dates, Montrose also approached the executors of Admiral Richard Clerk [SSNE 4137] for his contribution to the hospital. Findlay did eventually make a payment. About a year on, by late March 1628, Findlay had sent iron to the hospital. This good gesture might have been done with ulterior motives in mind. By May 1628, the council indeed recorded that payment was made for the iron but also for Findlay’s birth brief.
Sources
T. Kleberg, 'Engelsksprakig diktning i Stormaktstidens Sverige' in 'Lychnos' (Annual of the Swedish History of Science Society), (Uppsala and Stockholm, 1942), p.140; Restenneth Priory, Angus Archives, Montrose town council minutes, 1617-1639, 14 February 1627, 16 April 1627, 26 March 1628, 7 May 1628.
With thanks to Dr Thomas Brochard for updating this biography.
Service record
- SWEDEN, HEDEMORA
- Arrived 1620-01-01
- Capacity MERCHANT, purpose MERCANTILE, CIVIC