GERDNER, GEORGE [SSNE 7352]

Surname

GERDNER, GERNER, GARDNER, GARDINER, JERN, GÄREN

First name

GEORGE, JÖRAN, JÖREN

Nationality

SCOT

Social status

BURGESS

Text source

George Gardner (Jöran Gerdner/Jern) was a Scottish merchant based in Stockholm in the first half of the seventeenth century. He was also an innkeeper in Gamla Stan.

There were two individuals named 'Jören Jern' (or various variants thereof) active in Stockholm during the first half of the seventeenth century. Sometimes they are distinguished by 'g' (senior) and 'y' (junior) but very often not. It is difficult to unravel exactly which individual is being referenced in the records.

George Gardner took his oath as a burgess of Stockholm in May 1616, on the same day as fellow Scot James Feif [SSNE 4779]. That same year George Gardner and his unnamed wife were listed as owing 2 (unspecified specie, probably daler) for themselves and 1 for their servant boy and servant girl in the register for payments towards the Älvsborg ransom, and again George Gardner was due to pay 6 riksdaler for the fourth term of that year's ransom payments. In 1617 George Gardner was listed as owing 2 riksdaler for himself and his wife and 1 riksdaler for his servant (a young woman), and in December that year his share was noted as 10 riksdaler.

In June 1619 he stands as guarantor, along with Thomas Dunker (possibly also a Scot?), for fellow Scot James Logan [SSNE 7369] when Logan takes his oath as a burgess of Stockholm - the same day that Robert Rhind [SSNE 6686] also becomes a burgess. In order for Gardner to serve in that capacity he must have already been a Stockholm burgess himself. In October 1619 his property in Kokhusgränden is put up for sale. In 1620 George Gardner purchased a house in Stockholm from fellow Scot, George (Jöran) Logan [SSNE 7368], a building at the top of Jost von Hattingens alley. He only got the use of it for less than five years as it burnt down in the major fire of 1625 (see below).

The James Logan murder

In May 1622, these two men, George Gardner and George Logan, stood before the Stockholm magistrates on behalf of the widow of James Logan. She accused Captain Alexander Forrat [SSNE 4146] and James Muir (possibly [SSNE 1713]) of the murder of her husband, James Logan [SSNE 49] on the night of 30 April in Norrmalm at Gerdt Specht's (formerly a goldsmith) house. That night Captain Forrat and Muir had been invited to Admiral Richard Clerck's [SSNE ] house on Norrmalm for dinner, and James Logan arrived later on. Eventually they all moved onto Specht's house for some beer. Allegedly Captain Forrat began to harrass Logan, saying he had heard that Logan had been taken into Swedish military service (you are serving his majesty) as an ensign or a lieutenant. You must pay me the money you said you would guarantee on behalf of Thomas Dunker (see above). Logan responded that this was not a matter for him to resolve, but that Captain Forrat should turn to Captain Stuart (also present). This led Forrat to strike Logan, who pulled out his knife, and then Muir threw a pewter mug at the pair, which struck Captain John Clerck on the arm. Captain Forrat grabbed the mug and struck Logan on the head, leading Logan to grab the captain by the throat, thrust him to the floor and start punching him in the mouth. Logan had the knife in his hands and told the captain that if he wanted to kill him he was in a position to do so. At this point the captain apparently agreed to let things lie. But Muir, spotting the captain's servant boy, rushed over and grabbed the captain's sword from the boy, and struck Logan with it a few times. Allegedly Muir called Logan a murderer, demanding that he release the captain. Muir claimed not to remember striking Logan with the captain's sword. Muir displayed remorse before the magistrates, claiming he had no ill will towards Logan, and that he had offered to help him resolve the matter between him, Captain Forrat and Thomas Dunker. Muir claimed that Logan was his blood relative. Captain Clerck, who had intervened, stopping Muir and pleaded with Logan not to murder Forrat, ran to get the barber surgeon, but Logan bled out and died. It was a wound to an artery in the groin, probably, as the records note that Logan's trousers were ripped and blood was pouring out from the wound. Another witness saw Muir strike Logan's leg with the sword. There were at least 3 musicians, a 'skriffvare' (muster-writer?), and the lady of the house, Margareta, present as well as Captain Forrat's boy William Thomson and Captain Clerck's boy. Captain Forrat was punished for his involvement, whilst Muir was sentenced to death.

In 1624 George Gardner and James Gardner [SSNE 4922] (Jokum Järner) (possibly a relative?) were both named by the Stockholm magistrates as burgesses who had wine cellars in Gamla Stan,ie that they were innkeepers.

The Jost von Hattingens lane house

In January 1626 Cort Wittholt came before the Stockholm magistrates, recounting that several years ago he sold George Logan a house on Jost von Hattingens lane, just next to Mårten Nilsson's house, on the condition that if Logan or his descendant or whoever owned the same house came to sell it on they would in the first instance offer it to Wittholt, or his descendants or whoever lived in the current Wittholt house just opposite. George Gardner had bought it from Logan, but the house burnt down in the fire of 1625 and now George Gardner was selling the plot to Curt Wittholt, which he wanted to be notarised by the Stockholm courts.

That same year, 1626 George Gardner and James Maclean [SSNE 5433] were appointed as councillors to make an inventory of the goods belonging to the late Stockholm burgess Hans Harver's (possibly John Harvey?). 'Harver' had been killed by Thomas Clerck, one of James Feif's [SSNE 4779] servants, at Disting market.

Further, in April 1626 George Gardner, along with Albert Rhind, stood as guarantors for Scotsman David Anderson[SSNE 8484] who took his oath as burgess that month. 

When representatives for the coming session (15 January) of the Riksdag (parliament) were being chosen on 10 January 1627 George Gardner's name (with a 'g.', denoting Gardner 'senior') appears in the Stockholm magistrate records as one of those chosen to represent the commoners.

The Sleman house

In March 1627 George Gardner appears before the magistrates, on behalf of himself and Carl Olofsson, seeking rent or interest on a house which Daniel Sleman had pawned to Petter von Beningen since 1620 but that he continues to live in without paying rent or interest. The magistrates agree that Olofsson has placed money before the court equating to the the house's tax value and that he (they) should proceed at will. The matter does not seems to be resolved as George Gardner seeks clarification about it a week later, and again in mid-April - Sleman won't let von Beningen sell the house (presumably Gardner is interested in purchasing it).

George Gardner was involved in a case against Catherine Putley (Catarina Putlest? wife of goldsmith Peter Lenhard), dating from 25 November 1625. In August 1627 he noted her stealing silver from him, to the value of 44 riksdaler and 29 öre. Gardner requested that this be itemised by the court and that he be allowed to obtain his share in "the house" (presumably put up for sale to cover her debts).

By 1633 he is noted as 'old' when standing as guarantor for John Halliday [SSNE 7358] on swearing his burgess oath.

In April 1634 he obtained a plot on the low northern end of Skottgränden in Gamla Stan, an alley named after the number of Scottish merchants who either lived in or traded in Stockholm. Whether he built a house or there was an extant building is unclear. The house is mentioned several times in the records (incl. 1637, 1638, and 1640). He still owned that plot in 1646 at that year, noted as "old" he was responsible for repairing a hole in his building. It is likely that he is the same Jöran who owned a building on Österlånggatan, at the corner of Bredgatan, which he sold to Jöns Henriksson in 1649.

George Gardner may be the father of George Gerner jr. [SSNE 4924]. 

 

The James Logan murder is recorded in Stockholmsstads tänke böcker från år 1592: Del XIII, 1622-1623 (Stockholm, 1978), pp. 26-31, 4th May 1622.

Other Sources: Stockholmsstads tänke böcker, vol. ix 1616-1617 (Stockholm, 1968), p.63,467, 478, 499, 509; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker, vol xi 14 June 1619, p.73, and p.129, 135, 137, 141, 147. Stockholmsstads tänke böcker, 13 March 1620, p.13; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker, 1622, (Stockholm, 1978), pp.26-31; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker, 1624; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker 1626 (Stockholm, 1990), 12, 50, 160, 170, 178, 192, 230; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker 1627, (Stockholm, 1994), p.1, 11, 15, 20, 26, 30, 38-9, 83, 209, 241, 243, 246, 254, 291; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker 1628, (Stockholm, 1998), p.308; Stockholmsstads tänke böcker 1629, (Stockholm, 2000), p.136;  F.U Wrangel, Stockholmiana I-IV , (Stockholm, 1912), pp.20, 375, 389; Curt Haij, 'Skottar i Stockholm under 1600-talet', unpublished list of names, Hintze biblioteket, Genealogiska Föreningen, Sundbyberg, Stockholm. Thanks to Ardis Dreisbach for this information. Letter from Oxenstierna to unnamed recipient, RA/Oxenstiernska samlingen Axel Oxenstierna av Södermöre //E 536. See also the Oxenstierna database, Riksarkivet.

HouseinStockholm

Service record

SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM

Arrived 1616-05-15

Departed 1646-12-31

Capacity MERCHANT, purpose TRADE