by Felicia R. Ouchterlony
The idea for this interview started in school when my English teacher and I talked a little about the Ouchterlony family. During our conversation, several questions arose about how the Scottish family came to Sweden and what the Ouchterlony family’s history looks like. To find out, I had a chat with my grandfather Mauritz Ouchterlony who belongs to a branch of the Ouchterlony family.
Mauritz Ouchterlony was born in 1942. His father Einar Ouchterlony was born in 1882 and his mother Märta Sundell was born in 1903. (A reflection: cool that my dad’s father was born in the 1800s, it means that I only have two generations between me and the 19th century.)
Felicia Ouchterlony: My first question is how the family line Ouchterlony was born. Grandpa, can you tell me a little?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: It all started in the 14th century when Alexander Ouchterlony married the daughter of John Stuart. John belonged to the Kellie family. Alexander and his wife took the name Ouchterlony de Kellie. They lived in and owned Kellie Castle. Kellie Castle was owned by the family until the 17th century. Today the castle is owned and operated by the Scottish state.
Felicia Ouchterlony: Can you tell me a little about the family’s weapon/seal?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: The principal William Ouchterlony of that ilk of Kellie attached his seal, a raised lion surrounded by a border with eight buckles, to a document in 1595. According to Scottish rules, younger branches must separate their weapons from the principal. The above-mentioned, John Ouchterlony (1623-1695), received a patent for his heraldic coat of arms from “the Court of Lord Lyon” in 1672 and stated that he descended from the Ouchterlony family of Kellie.
Felicia Ouchterlony: I am curious about how the family ended up in Sweden. Can you tell me a little bit about that?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: There is no clear information about who the Swedish ancestor of the family is. But there are many indications that it was Isak Ouchterlony who was the son of John Ouchterlony (who died in 1778). But some legends say that it was his father-in-law Tomas Ouchterlony who was the ancestor. Tomas left Sweden in 1759.
Felicia Ouchterlony: Who was the first person from the family to come to Sweden?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: Something we know for sure is that in 1752 Captain John Ouchterlony came to Karlshamn. John came, like several others from the family, sailing from Scotland.
Felicia Ouchterlony: Can it be said that the family’s interest in the sea has existed since the 18th century?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: It could be one of the reasons for our cravings for sailing. During the 18th century several people in the family worked for the East India Company in different positions. Unfortunately, not all ships arrived back safely, sometimes they sank. The whole family in Sweden is based on seafaring.
Felicia Ouchterlony: Do you think your roots are why you have such a great interest in the sea and sailing?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: Very possibly. My father introduced me to sailing, so my interest has been with me all my life. Sailing is a natural part of my everyday life, and I run a charter sailing company.
Felicia Ouchterlony: Can you tell us about the background to the Salvation Army and Hanna Ouchterlony?
Mauritz Ouchterlony: Hanna Ouchterlony was the daughter of District Chief Ouchterlony in Värnamo. After completing her education in household chores and languages, Hanna chose to open a bookstore. She ran it for fifteen years. She had a great religious interest and was inspired by the revival of the people. In 1878, a turning point came in Hannah’s life when she met Bramwell Booth, son of the founder of the Salvation Army. It was meeting him that inspired her to introduce the Salvation Army to Sweden in 1882. She was a well-known leader of the Salvation Army in both Scandinavia and the United States.
Felicia Ouchterlony: Before we end this interview, I would like to know a little more about the Brandy King L. O. Smith and his position in the family.
Mauritz Ouchterlony: It’s a long and fine story. It all started in 1832 when Carl Smith bought Stillerydsgård. Carl belonged to the commercial elite and had made a lot of money on shipping. Carl’s mother was Madame Maria H. Ouchterlony, daughter of Captain John Ouchterlony. Carl and his wife had only one son, and for a few years Carl took care of the boy Lars Olsson, later L. O. Smith. He was a wise boy, and at the age of eight he already knew a great deal about distilleries. When Lars’s father went bankrupt, he had to move in with the Smith family. He was registered with the family in the years 1845-1849. Around 1853, Lars settled in Stockholm and when he returned home to Karlshamn twenty years later, he was the multimillionaire L. O. Smith –– the Brandy King. He got the name Smith during the years with the family. It’s his emblem that sits on all Absolut Vodka bottles.
