CLERCK, ALEXANDER [SSNE 788]

Surname
CLERCK, KLERK
First name
ALEXANDER, SANDER
Title/rank
BURGESS, GOLDSMITH
Nationality
SCOT
Region
STOCKHOLM
Religion
LUTHERAN

Text source

Alexander (also known as Sander) Clerck was the son of the Scotsman Jacob/James Clerck [SSNE 4932], a goldsmith who died in Stockholm about 1615. His mother was Anna Eriksdotter (who married another goldsmith, Joakim von der Fecht in 1617). Alexander followed his father's and step-father's craft and became a goldsmith, also in Stockholm where he could be found working throughout the reign of Queen Kristina (1632-1654). On 7 May 1636, Alexander Clerk became a burgess of the town with Wilhelm Lehusen and Peter Tauste as witnesses. That same year Alexander became a master goldsmith.

The Maria Kyrka records mention a Sander Klarck, possibly burying a journeyman goldsmith, although the record is unclear, and it could refer to that individual.

 In 1664 Alexander Clerck attended the Stockholm Riksdag. Alexander had married Cathrina and his first son, Jacob [SSNE 736](born April 1667), studied in Uppsala in 10/02/1683 and went on to become a lawyer and appears to have been ennobled in 1699. Alexander fathered nine children: Jakob born 1636 died 1679, Anna born 1638 died 1658, Hans born 1640, Catharina born 1641 died before 1682, Magdalena born 1642 died before 1682, Alexander born 1644 died in infancy, Niklas born 1645 died in infancy, Alexander born 1647 died before 1682, and Niklas born 1650. Two of his sons became goldsmiths: Hans Clerck [SSNE 2821] and his younger brother, Niklas Clerck. Hans Clerck in turn had a son Jacob [SSNE 1174] who became Mayor of Visby. In the Visby archives a file exists on this man which notes these last two men as being of Scottish origins. Alexander buried several children at St Nicholas church in Stockholm: in February 1644, May, 1646, May 1647, 2 in September 1651. He also buried a "foreign woman" in September 1664.

Alexander was certainly still alive in 1666 but had died before 1679.

 

Sources: Stockholms Stadsarkivet, Maria Församling: Register över döda, 1634-1655, p.188; Swedish Riksarkiv, Brev till Magnus Gabriel de la Gardie a) fran enskilda, letters from Alexander Clerk 1654-1656 (4); Stockholm Stadsarkiv: Borgare i Stockholm, Register 1601-1650, p.41; Svenska Adelns Attartavlor, vol. II, p.24; Landsarkiv i Visby, ViLA/10325, Jacob Clerck's Arkiv (p35); G. Upmark, Guld och silversmeder i sverige 1520-1850, (Tisell, 1925). T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden (Edinburgh, 1907), pp.216, 260; Borgarståndets Riksdagsprotokoll före frihetstiden, (Uppsala, 1933), p.388; Stockholm Stadsarkiv, St Nikolai Forsamling Doda 1627-1680, p.3. 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.

Service record

SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM
Arrived 1636-01-01
Departed 1666-12-31
Capacity BURGESS, GOLDSMITH, purpose CIVIC, COMMERCE