FIFE, KASTEN [SSNE 6281]
Text source
Kasten Feif was the son of Peter Feif [SSNE 4780] and grandson of the Scot, James Fife [SSNE 4779] who had originally migrated to Sweden from Scotland. Marryat claims the progenitor was named Alexander Feif and came from Montrose.
Kasten Feif was born to Peter and his wife Maria Hoff in Stockholm in September 1662. Maria Hoff was the daughter of Casten Hoff, a "källarmästare" of some repute in Stockholm.
Apparently in 1670 Kasten Feif was sent to Finland as a hat-maker, but his master's business failed, and Kasten returned to Sweden. Through his knowledge of the Finnish language he obtained work in royal service. Twenty years later Kasten Feif joined joined the chancellery and from then on was steadily promoted in the civil service. By 1697 he was registrar and in 1704 a senior secretary.
Kasten Feif was ennobled in 1705. Two years later he transferred to the Finnish chancellery.
Kasten Feif apparently became one of King Karl XII's "right hand men" particularly whilst the king was away on campaigns. The great Northern War saw him take on military duties as 'Ombudsrad' in 'Krigs Expedition'. Kasten allegedly issued the passport for "Peter Frisk" (Karl XII's pseudonym) (Marryat has the name as 'Carl Frisk') in 1714 enabling the Swedish king to escape from Bender.
Fischer noted that Kasten became Secretary of State in the Ministry of the Interior and finally President of the Ministry in 1723. Feif had been made a Swedish baron in 1715 and married Anna Kristina Barckhusen (1674-1724). Kasten died on 17 March 1739 (Marryat has the date of death as 1724). He had three brothers, Peter[SSNE 6683], Johan[SSNE 6684] and Jakob.
Sources: Svensk Biografisk Lexikon, vol.15, pp.507-510; T. Fischer, The Scots in Sweden, (Edinburgh, 1907), pp.210-212; J. Kleberg, Statskontoret 1680-1946 (Stockholm, MCMXLVIII), p.17; H. Marryat, One Year in Sweden, vol.2, p.482.
Service record
- SWEDEN, STOCKHOLM AND FINLAND
- Departed 1715-12-31, as OMBUDSRAD
- Capacity CIVIL SERVANT, purpose CIVIC