Many of the old Swedish parish records list an ancestors title or occupation.
The words are often confusing, antiquated and make little sense to me.
Now and again I like to investigate, do some research.
What is the meaning of my ancestors title or occupation?
How did he support and feed his family in his time?
My 5X great grandfather Olof Meijholm was born in 1711. This I know from a household examination. There is no available records of birth that early. On his death certificate he is listed as "Borgaren". Translated this means burgher (citizen) which is more of a class distinction than an occupation.
A person who lived in a town earned his living from a skill such as carpentry or blacksmithing or worked as a merchant/salesperson. A burgher was one of the skilled tradespeople or merchants in town with his own business and was considered a citizen. A Burgher could be elected a member of the towns governing body and had a right to voice his opinion at town meetings. Becoming a burgher/citizen in town required owning a house in town and have a few different people testify to your abilities and the towns need for the product, service or skill that you offered. Being a burgher was a step ahead socially from the majority of town dwellers who worked for the burghers as housekeepers, servants, apprentices etc. A burgher had responsibility to the town not only in its governing but also in its defense, responsible perhaps for night watch and fire watch.
I have not seen written verification of exactly what his business was but we know that trades were often taught and handed down generation upon generation. Olof's son, also named Olof (1755-1810) was also listed as a "Borgaren" and his grandson, another named Olof (1780-1827) was a card/comb maker which I wrote about in an earlier blog which can be read HERE. So I believe it would be pretty safe to assume that Olof also manufactured and possibly had a shop that sold card/combs.
A woman took part in her husbands business helping in any way she could, along with her numerous household and child rearing duties. She often would be very knowledgeable in the business. Enough so that upon her husbands death she could sometimes take over the business and become a citizen on her own. Let's hear it for the Swedes, among the first in Europe to recognize a woman's contribution and rights (well some anyway).
my 5X great grandfather
Olof Meijholm
b: 1711 Östhammar, Stockholm, Sweden
d: 7 Aug 1779 Östhammar, Stockholm, Sweden
and his wife
my 5X great grandmother
who most likely knew the business as well as he
Catharina Johannsdotter Landberg
b: 1714 Östhammar, Stockholm, Sweden
d: 6 Nov 1792 Östhammar, Stockholm, Sweden
Olof Meijholm & Catharina Johannsdotter Landberg→Olof Meijholm→Olof Majholm→
Charlotta Majholm→Robert Albin Abrahamson→Lydia Abrahamson→Carl Melvin Kallman→Me!
