Alma mater Uppsala University Died 1777, Stockholm, Sweden | Name Jacob Faggot Education Uppsala University | |
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Born 13 March 1699 ( 1699-03-13 ) Uppsala County Occupation Scientist, surveyor, government official | ||
Jacob Faggot (13 March 1699, Uppsala County – 28 February 1777, Stockholm) was a Swedish scientist.
Life and career
Faggot was educated at Uppsala University and later worked as a tutor of Swedish political leader Nils Reuterholm.
From 1727 onwards he worked in the Lantmaterikontoret (surveying office) as a surveyor and geometry teacher. He became its director in 1747. On his initiative Sweden printed their first cadastral maps. His interest in reforming Swedish agriculture led him to implement the Storskiftet (great shift) similar to the British model, begun in 1749. He was involved in the mapping of Finland and led storskiftesverket in both Finland and Scania.
From 1733 to 1739 he served on the Tabellkommissionen (Commission for the adjustment of weights and measures), He later served as a member of the Commission to oversee and improve forestry schemes.
He became a founding member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in 1739, serving as secretary from 1741 to 1744 and again from 1757 to 1760. He criticized the organization for using Latin instead of Swedish, which led to his founding the breakaway group Tungomalsgillet (Language Guild). Due to opposition from the Royal Academy, he was unable to get a charter for the organization.
Faggot assisted in creating the first Census in Sweden in 1749. In later life, he published on agricultural topics. His work researching genealogies via hemmansklyvning (division of inherited family lands) led to increased interest in population studies and local history.
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences posthumously awarded a medal to Faggot in 1778.