1600 record on Genline for Bior of Tomasbräten

[Linda Dean]

I am looking at a record on Genline, and I can't translate it but I think about 1688.  I posted a message on the Sweden@rootsweb and they suggested I check here.  I thought it was a marriage record but someone said it might be for fees for have sex outside of marriage.  Is that true?  Were men charged fees for having sex outside of marriage?  Who and how did anyone find out unless there was a birth?  Then on the very next page the same Bior is listed under Credit for the amount of 90.  Would that be a marriage fee, but is that high for a marriage fee?  Is that the actual fee for what was charged on the previous page?  This same Bior is listed as a sponsor for several births in Tomasbräten and never has his last name included....just Bior from Tomasbräten.  Why would someone be the sponsor so many times? Any background or ideas on any of this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Anna-Carin Betzén]

Perhaps you could post the GID or other reference to volume and page? It might be easier to tell if people can view the same page as you do. From one of your posts on Rootsweb I assume the place is Nysund parish, in Örebro county.

[Bo Johansson]

1687-1698 Births, Marriages, Deaths Nysund, Örebro, Sweden
Vol C:1, GID 2396.27.57300
#2 for Bior

[Ingela Martenius]

Not a fee - a fine. Before 1918 it was a crime to have sex outside marriage; both men and women could be fined.
In the 17th century adultery could mean that you were sentenced to death, but this severe punishment was generally not carried out.
Sex outside marriage came in three different categories:
Both parties being unmarried (and not related to each other; it was at least in theory possible for them to marry) - lönskaläge
One of the parties being married, the other unmarried - hor (yes, the same word as the English whore)
Both parties being married (but not to each other) - dubbelt hor
 
Well, people are still today found out having sexual relations outside marriage. It was probably easier in the old days when the villages were small and everybody knew everything about everybody. Villages would also have specially appointed men that were responsible for the good order and morals of the villagers. A birth resulting from the illicit sex was of course a catastrophy for the woman (a man could always deny it in court, with two fingers on the Bible); so much so that it became so common for women to kill their newborn, illegitimate child that King Gustav III in the late 18th century passed a law that gave women the option to give birth without revealing their identity (which meant giving birth outside their own parish). The midwife attending the woman had no right to to try to find out who she was. Therefore it is possible to have both a father unknown and a mother unknown in the birth records. This law was not rescinded until 1917.
 
Many clergymen, well into the 18th century, stuck to the old ways and didn't regard a patronymic as a name, just a description. And so they didn't enter the patronymic in the church records - you got the same effect (which was ultimately just to distinguish this one person from all the other people bearing the same name - and there was a very limited number of names to chose from) by entering the farm name.
 
Yes, it was very common for some people to be sponsors for lots of children. Everybody tried to get as important a person as possible for their child's sponsor. The sponsor had no legal obligations towards the child (there are often ideas that the sponsors would have to care for an orphaned child but it was no such thing), but a certain moral obligation to further the child's interests. Today we would perhaps term such a person a mentor. Someone who introduces you to the right people, recommends you and advices you on how you are to go on. Sponsors were of course also expected to give a very nice christening gift ( perhaps, if the sponsor was well to do, a silver spoon). Commanding officers were e.g. extremely popular with soldiers, as were the richest and most important farmers to less successful farmers and crofters. A good way to get rich/important people involved was through their wives: to carry a child to its christening (the mother wasn't present and couldn't carry the child) was considered a great honour, regardless of the relative status of child and carrier. But also some men were known for their generosity towards children and thus had lots of godchildren.
 
Ingela

[Linda Dean]

Thanks so much for everyone's input.  And everyone responded so quickly.  I really really appreciate it.  You are all so very helpful.  So do you think 1687-1698 Births, Marriages, Deaths Nysund, Örebro, Sweden Vol C:1, GID 2396.27.57300, #2 for Bior is for a fine for having sex? Or is it something else?  I decided to continue to search for Bior in Tomasbäten, and go page by page.  I found he was listed year after year and in the column after his name there would be 20, most of the time.  The first time I found him on GID 2396.27.57400 it was 90.  GID 2396.28.62700 there are headings in the columns, but I don't read Swedish.  On 2396.28.62600 there are additional notations and the amount is 8.  Would these listings be his pledge to the church, or his obligation to the church, or perhaps these are tax lists.  Any ideas?  Thanks again for your great help.

[Hans Egeskog]

Hi Linda,
 
Bior (i.e. Björn) in Tomasbråten is no relation of mine, as far as I know. But I have made some research in Nysund and found that his full name was Björn Eskilsson. According to the death book he was born in 1642 and died 1705, burried April 5. In 1675 he was a juror (nämndeman) and he was elected congressman (riksdagsman) in 1686.
I have concluded he was married before 1695 to Maria Månsdotter (167(1)-1743), possibly his second wife if we see to the age difference. She was remarried June 3 1706 to Måns Eriksson in Frosterud, Rudskoga parish.
 
Björn and Maria had the following children:
Olof Björnsson (1696-1698)
Kerstin Björnsdotter (1698-1758), married in 1724 to Karl Karlsson i Åtorp, Nysund.
Bengt Björnsson (1700-1780), married in 1725 to Ellika Björnsdotter from Klippan, Nysund.
Olof Björnsson (1702-1759), married in 1735 to Sara Filipsdotter in Lövnäs, Nysund.
Lars Björnsson (1704-1773), married in 1733 to Annika Björnsdotter from Klippan, Nysund.
 
I have also found that Björn in 1674 bought parts of the farm Tomasbråten from Olof Nilsson in Södra Sirbo, Sven Olofsson in Högberg and from Björn?s stepmother Marit in Norra Billinge, all in Nysund parish. How Olof and Sven was related to Björn I have not been able to find out.
 
/Hans

[Linda Dean]

Hans,
The information you supplied about Bior is just wonderful!  I can't believe it!  I am so excited! Thank you so very very much.

[Hans Egeskog]

Linda,
I?m just glad I could give you some information about Björn. By the way, where do you tie into the family, from which sibling?
Hans

[Linda Dean]

Well, that is interesting.  I tie into this family, with the same ancestor, three times.  Once from Bengt and twice from Olof.  One big intermingled family who all had a common ancestor of Björn Eskilsson.  I was really stuck and the information you provided was great!  I was able to find more documentation on Genline.  I have a few more questions if you don't mind.  Do you remember where you found the marriage date of 3 June 1706 of Maria Månsdotter to Måns Eriksson?  Also, where did you find the information about the farm purchases? Was it on Genline, or elsewhere?  If on Genline, do you know the GID for these two records? Due to the fact that we are researching the same area, we may have common ancestors.  Would you like me to email you an outline of what I have found on this family thus far?

[Hans Egeskog]

Linda,
 
Sorry about the lack of references to the sources. Maria and Måns were married in the neighbouring parish Rudskoga the mentioned date, and the marriage is listed in Rudskoga C2 1700-1717 which is available on Genline.
The source for the farm purchases is the judicial records for Nysund which is not available on Genline, but on microfilm, and of course at Uppsala landsarkiv where the original is kept. I assume it will be difficult for you to go to Uppsala ), but the microfilm might be available at some Family Search Center near you. Perhaps you could ask about that? I am not 100 percent sure wether Tomasbråten is a part of Edsbergs härad or Visnums härad (Nysund was devided between the two), but I believe it is the first one.
 
Regarding GID numbers I have not a clue. I don?t have access to Genline myself, yet. I stick to my old paper copies...
 
I would be very glad if you would send me some data about your family in Nysund. As you say, we might have common interests not only in the parish but with the same people. I must warn you though, that it was a while ago I made my research in Nysund on my mother?s side of the family. The last ten years I have, almost without exception, been researching the ancestors on my father?s side in Östergötland and Småland mostly. But I have all my data at hand and would gladly make some effort to check what we could have in common if you send me an outline of your findings.
 
Hans

[Per Göthe]

Perhaps i Could answer your question Hans. If i remeber correct now so is it not much in the (judgebook (?) i Visnums Haerad) from Nysund sn.
But i´m not sure about that, sometimes has i found about people in Nysund sn in Visnums Haeradsraett.
But i have looked at the Tomasbråten in Nysund sn, in middle of 1700. It is to late for answer about this people. I have some of my (anor?) that have lived in Tomasbraaten,Nysund sn in late of 1700.
But Rudskoga is in Visnums Haeradsraett.
MVH Per

[Linda Dean]

Would someone mind looking at some records on Genline to translate?
 
Looking for Bior of Tomasbräten in first two  records.
 
1687-1698 Births, Marriages, Deaths, C:1,  
Nysund, Örebro.
 
GID 2396.27.49100, year 1688, first line, does that mean he paid the church a fee for marriage?
 
GID 2396.27.57300 #2, is that a marriage record for him or what does it say?
 
GID 2396.27.59000, VII, 13 May burial of Elin of Tomasbräten, but what does the rest of it say?  Is this the wife of Bior?
 
Thanks so much for the help.

[Bo Johansson]

GID 2396.27.49100, year 1688 (Nysund C:1 page 26): I think ingift here means simply income (for the church), the opposite of utgift (expense). And line 1 says only:
Biör i Thomasbroten gifvit (B. in T. has given).
 
 
GID 2396.27.57300 #2 (Nysund C:1 page 148): I think the page is about fines for sex before marriage (otidigt sängalag). Number 2 seems to be:
Pehr(?) Olsson at Siggebo(??) guilty. Löftesman(??) (person making promise??) Biör i Thomasbråt betalt(??) (paid??).
 
 
GID 2396.27.59000  (Nysund C:1 page 173) VII:
13 May was buried Elin of Tomasbråtfen(?) and rests(?) in the church in the aisle(?) in grave-place, died at age 65 years.
 
// Bo Johansson

[Hans Egeskog]

Without having seen the original, I interpret the second of Bo Johansson?s translations above so that Björn in Tomasbråten was löftesman (the man responsible for the groom before the wedding, most often a relative) for Per Olsson in Siggebol. And when it came out that bride and groom had been too eager to taste the fruits of marriage beforehand, the löftesman had to pay the fines of his protegee?s  breaking of the holy matrimony.

[Linda Dean]

Bo & Hans,
Once again, thanks so much for the help. I really appreciate it.  When I find something with Bior's name on it I get excited and hope that is it some new info.  Everyone is always so willing to help.  You are both very thoughtful to take the time to assist me.

[Ingela Martenius]

Ingift, the word Bo was a little hesitant about, indeed means income; in Catholic times it was also used to mean the fee you paid upon entering a monastery (i.e. an income for the monastery).
 
Löftesman (or lovadsman) generally means a person who stands surety for an economic transaction. In the specific case of marriages, the löftesman was the man who stood surety for the morgongåva (morning gift, a sum required by law for the maintenance of the widow); the löftesman was thus not responsible for the bridegroom as such, only for the financial transaction of the morgongåva. But to be acceptable as löftesman you probably had to be in at least comfortable circumstances and since it seems that Bior was a good-hearted man (witness how he was a sponsor to many children) he helped his friend.
 
Sources:
SAOB ( http://g3.spraakdata.gu.se/saob/ )
Ordbok för släktforskare
 
Ingela

[Linda Dean]

Thanks everyone.  This information you have provied has helped me piece together more about who he was.  Interesting fellow.  I wish I could find more about his marriage (s) date.  I will keep looking.  Thanks for all the help.

[Linda Dean]

Would someone mind sharing their opinion.  RE: GID 2396.27.59000 (Nysund C:1 page 173) VII:  
13 May was buried Elin of Tomasbråtfen(?) and rests(?) in the church in the aisle(?) in grave-place, died at age 65 years.  
 
Do you think I can assume that Elin was Björn's first wife?  Björn was born 1642, he had his first child with Maria Mänsdotter in 1696 and I believe the above death of Elin was in 1694.  
 
I am writing a family history, the proof that Elin was his first wife is very weak, only being based on this death record and his age.  Tomasbräten, was that the name of the farm or the name of the area?  Appears only family members were from Tomasbräten.  I guess it could be a sister of Björn too.
 
Thanks for any input.
 
Linda Dean