Starch extracted from potatoes, processed into flour for bread and distilled into spirits, transformed the agricultural landscape of eighteenth-century Sweden. Eva Ekeblad pioneered these techniques, shifting the potato from a decorative plant grown in aristocratic greenhouses to a fundamental food source. Her efforts played a vital role in curbing the nation's severe famine cycles.
Early Influences and Marriage
Born in Stockholm in 1724 to Hedvig Catharina Lillie and Count Magnus Julius De la Gardie, Eva grew up within a politically active noble household. She received a private education at home standard for her social standing. At age sixteen, she married the riksråd Count Claes Claesson Ekeblad. The couple had seven children, and she maintained a prominent cultural salon at their Stockholm residence, where she hosted musical performances by Johan Helmich Roman.
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Following her marriage, Ekeblad assumed responsibility for managing the family estates at Mariedal, Lindholmen, and Stola Manor. As her husband was frequently absent for political duties, she oversaw bailiffs and managed local parish affairs. She was known for her strict, orderly management style, intervening in local disputes and ensuring the protection of the peasantry on her lands, maintaining this role even after her husband's death in 1771.
Scientific Contributions
In 1748, Ekeblad submitted findings to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences regarding the extraction of starch from potatoes. Her research included developing a bread recipe using oat flour and mashed potato, as well as producing potato liquor. She also advocated for replacing toxic arsenic in cosmetic powders with potato starch. Her work was reviewed by Jonas Alströmer and Jacob Faggot, leading to her election as the Academy's first female member in 1748.
Chemical Research and Later Life
After joining the Academy, she continued her practical experiments, presenting methods for creating soap used in bleaching cotton cloth in 1751 and 1752. Despite being offered high-ranking positions at the royal court, including royal governess to the Crown Prince, poor health following an illness in 1778 restricted her activities. She spent her final years at Mariedal Castle until her death in 1786.
Fast facts
- Born: 1724, Stockholm
- Died: 1786, Lidköping
- Primary Field: Agronomy
- Election to Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences: 1748
- Spouse: Claes Claesson Ekeblad
- Notable Contribution: Potato flour and spirit production
- Final Residence: Mariedal Castle
Questions readers ask
Did Eva Ekeblad attend meetings at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences?
There is no record of her attending meetings, and she was removed from the list of ordinary members in 1751.
Why did she decline court positions?
Illness in 1778 left her weakened and periodically bedridden for the remainder of her life.
Achievements
- Fields of research: agronomy
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