Elisabet Christina (Linnæa) Bergencrantz (1743 - 1782)

Born 14 Jun 1743 in Uppsala, Uppland, Sverige

Ancestors

Wife of Carl Fredrik Bergencrantz — married 12 Jul 1764 in Danmark, Uppland, Sverige

Descendants

Died 15 Apr 1782 at age 38 in Hammarby, Danmark, Uppland, Sverige

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Maggie Andersson [send private message]

Biography

Elisabet Christina, the daughter of Herr Professor Linnæus and his wife Sara Elisabet Moræa, was born in Uppsala 14 June 1743.^[1]

Since professor Carl Linnæus was granted nobility by the king in 1757 but did not adopt the name von Linné before he was introduced at the House of Nobility in 1761, none of the Linnæus children were born with the name von Linné. The female form, Linnæa, was used for the daughters.^[2]

In 1762 she published her observations on the flashing of the flowers of Indian cress at dusk.^[3]

The liutenant Carl Fredric Bergencrantz of the Upland Regiment married Miss Elisabeth Christina von Linné 12 July 1764. They were married in Danmark parish, but the marriage was registered in Uppsala.^[4]

They had two children, born at Hammarby in 1765 and 1766 respectively. However, Captain Bergencrantz seems to have more or less abandoned his wife. There is a formally worded addendum to the the testament of Carl von Linné, signed 4 August 1776, with details less formally expressed in an earlier letter, explaining that "my son-in-law, the captain Carl Frid. Bergencrantz" had formed a relationship with his servant maid Maja, known as a loose woman, while he lived in Roslagen and often had business in Stockholm. Maja had also accompanied him while he was in Finland as secretary for General Ehrenswärd for a few years. Returning to Stockholm with the pregnant Maja, Bergencrantz asked for transfer to the regiment in Wästerbotten and barely visited his wife at Hammarby for a day. Bergencrantz had debts that his father-in-law offered to pay on the condition that he sent Maja off; the offer was not accepted. The Captain promised to send for his wife, Lisa Stina, once he was settled in Västerbotten, but he did not keep his promise. Since Lisa Stina was not in good health and would probably meet an early death; then if also her daughter Sara Lisa should die, her father (Bergencrantz) would stand to inherit - and then, should he wed Maja as his second wife, this share would get into the hands of that despicable woman. On the grounds of these circumstances Linné's testament included clauses to exclude Bergencrantz.^[5]

In the household record for Danmark parish started in 1774 Elisabeth Christina Bergencrantz, with daughter Sara Elisabeth lived at Hammarby in the household of her mother, Sara Elisabeth Moræa.^[6][7]

Fru Majorskan Stina Lisa Bergencrantz, born von Linné, died from pleurisy at Hammarby 15 April 1782.^[8] Her probate is a bit complicated because of her estrangement from her husband.^[9][10][11]

Sources

1. ↑ Uppsala domkyrkoförsamlings kyrkoarkiv, Födelse- och dopböcker, huvudserie, SE/ULA/11632/C a/4 (1736-1765), bildid: C0004338_00062, sida 52 Riksarkivet SVAR
2. ↑ Carl Linnaeus in Wikipedia
3. ↑ Linnæa, Elisabet Christina, Om Indianska krassens blickande i Kongl. Svenska vetenskaps academiens handlingar (23) (1762:Oct. Nov. Dec.) s. 284-286 Med tillägg av Carl Linnæus och Johan Carl Wilcke
4. ↑ Uppsala domkyrkoförsamlings kyrkoarkiv, Lysnings- och vigselböcker, SE/ULA/11632/E I/2 (1739-1852), bildid: C0004346_00049 Riksarkivet SVAR
5. ↑ Bref och skrifvelser af och till Carl von Linné edited by Th. M. Fries. Uppsala universitet, 1907. Part 1, p. 270 (online at archive.org ) visited by Ekeblad-7 13:46, 15 October 2019 (UTC)
6. ↑ Danmarks kyrkoarkiv, Husförhörslängder, SE/ULA/10172/A I/5 (1774-1780), bildid: C0003262_00030, sida 17 Riksarkivet SVAR
7. ↑ Danmarks kyrkoarkiv, Husförhörslängder, SE/ULA/10172/A I/6 (1780-1788), bildid: C0003263_00033, sida 21 Riksarkivet SVAR
8. ↑ Danmarks kyrkoarkiv, Död- och begravningsböcker, SE/ULA/10172/F/1 (1755-1828), bildid: C0075450_00022 Riksarkivet SVAR
9. ↑ Vaksala häradsrätt (C) F:4 (1780-1789) Bild 980 / Sida 26

   Arkiv Digital page info v149458a.b980.s26 | To page (paywall) | Riksarkivet

10. ↑ Vaksala häradsrätt (C) F:4 (1780-1789) Bild 1670 / Sida 48

    Arkiv Digital page info v149458a.b1670.s48 | To page (paywall) | Riksarkivet

11. ↑ Vaksala häradsrätt (C) F:4 (1780-1789) Bild 2690 / Sida 71b

    Arkiv Digital page info v149458a.b2690.s71b | To page (paywall) | Riksarkivet

• Swedish Museum of Natural History: http://www2.nrm.se/fbo/hist/linnaeus/galleri.html.en
• Wikidata: Item Q13360126
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elisabeth_Christina_von_Linn%C3%A9