SPENS, JACOB [SSNE 11]
- Surname
- SPENS, SPENCE
- First name
- JACOB, JAMES
- Nationality
- SCOT
- Region
- WORMISTON, FIFE
- Social status
- NOBILITY
- Religion
- CALVANIST
Text source
James Spens jnr. was the first son of James Spens [SSNE 1642] and his wife Agnes Durie [SSNE 6249]. It is not known when or where he was born (most likely in Scotland), but he certainly served in the Swedish army. He had two brothers, David (died young) and Colonel William [SSNE 3553]. He also had three sisters, Cecilia [SSNE 6129], Isabella [SSNE 6263] and one other. He also had two half brothers, Axel [SSNE 1643] and Jacob [SSNE 3549].
He is said to have been authorised throughout 1623-1624 by the Scottish Privy Council to recruit and arm a 1,200 strong force of Scottish soldiers for Sweden and remained in England or Scotland for some time. It was apparently for this regiment that Chancellor Oxenstierna supplied wool shirts, socks, shoes and cloth to make coats out of in late 1625. James Spens senior certainly states that his son William served in his brother's regiment from 1624.
He died sometime in 1631.
Sources: Riksarkivet, Oxenstiernskas samlingen, E724. James Spens senior to Axel Oxenstierna, 26 April, 1624 and Riksarkivet, Anglica 3, f.52. James Spens to Gusav II Adolf, 26 April 1624; Swedish Krigsarkiv, Muster Rolls; 1626/3 (f.152) for Captain James Spens; See also Muster rolls 1628/6-11,14,15;1629/5-10,12,16,18-20; 1630/24,26,28-32; Register of the Privy Council of Scotland, vol. XII, 1622-1625, p.478, 30 March 1624; T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden (Edinburgh, 1907), p.218; G. Elgenstierna, Svenska Adelns Ättartavlor, vol. 7, p.429; Swedish Riksarkiv, Riksarkivets Ämbetsarkiv, Huvudarkivet FV a:31-32 Ang. Skottar i svensk tjänst, notes compiled by Hammerskjöld, marked from Svenska Registraturet; Rikskansleren Axel Oxenstiernas skrifter och brefvexling, first series, III, pp.272, 310.
Service record
- SWEDEN,
- Arrived 1623-01-01
- Departed 1631-12-31, as COLONEL
- Capacity OFFICER, purpose MILITARY