THORNTON, MACABEUS [SSNE 6120]

Surname

THORNTON, TORRINGTON, TORRINGTHON

First name

MACABEUS, MACCABEUS

Nationality

ENGLISH or SCOT

Text source

Maccabeus Thornton was a merchant who became a burgess of Gothenburg in July 1685. He had probably been in the town for some time before that, as there was a Maccabeus Torrington who was a godparent to William Damby's sons in 1677 and 1680; and to Daniel Crocket's [SSNE 6930] son in 1684 along with Johan Maclean [SSNE 4205] and David Kinnaird [SSNE 6124?]. Further, he appeared on the Gothenburg shipping lists from 1676 until 1695, freighting goods to Hull, London, and Newcastle amongst other places. Thornton was one of the British merchants interceded for by the British envoy Philip Warwick in c.1680-81 (the others being Richard Clerck, Jean Harvey - both London merchants - William Watson, Richard Daniel and Thomas Gee). Thornton's case appears to be based on paying taxes to the city of Gothernburg even though the ship did not enter the harbour.

Although the majority of the ports Thornton dealt with were in England he also sent goods to Leith, Dundee, Edinburgh and "Scotland" in 1684 and 85, and in 1690-and 91. This is probably the same Macabeus Thornton who married Alica Falks on 31 October 1682, with whom he had at least four children: Anna Maria (godparents Gabriel Spalding and Johan Maclean's wife in 1684), Sibrand (godparents Johan Maclean, Johan van Minden and Mrs Daniel Crocket in 1687 - Sibrand later married Johanna Crocket in 1722), Elisabeth and Johan (godparent Gustav Maclean in 1696). Thornton was involved in the purchase of iron on behalf of the joint stock company in part owned by Andrew Russell [SSNE 143], Patrick Thomson [SSNE 6475] and James Thomson [SSNE 6332]. On 7 October 1684, the accounts of James Thomson show that he received some 4000 (pounds Scots?) for the task. Thornton died of asthma and was buried on 27 February 1698, in Christina church

National Archives of Scotland, Russell Papers, RH15/106/531. Various letters and accounts of James Thomson (1684); Swedish Riksarkivet, Anglica 522, memorials of English agents, 1591-1692 - various documents of Philip Warwick; E. Långström, Göteborgs Stads Borgarelängd 1621-1864, (Göteborg, 1926), p.45; W. Berg, Samlingar till Göteborgs Historia Christina Kyrkas böcker, (Gothenburg, 1890), vol. 1, p.25, 145, 159, 186, 192, 210, 239, 272, and p.521; C. Dalhede, Handelsfamiljer på Stormaktstidens Europamarknad (3 vols., Partille, 2001), III, cdrom.

Service record

SWEDEN, GOTHENBURG

Arrived 1678-01-01

Departed 1698-02-27

Capacity MERCHANT BURGESS, purpose TRADE, CIVIC, MERCANTILE