Carl Magnus Wrangel (229)

Carl Magnus Wrangel (23 August 1727–12 June 1786) was a minister, and a member of the American Philosophical Society, elected in 1768. Born in Erikstad, Sweden, Wrangel did not follow his predecessors path into military offices, but instead chose the church. Wrangel pursued theological studies, including his time at Uppsala University and culminating in 1757 with his doctorate from Greifwald and Göttingen. By this time, he had already enjoyed the position as chaplain at the Swedish court and in 1758 was appointed the provost of the Swedish churches in America. He arrived in Philadelphia in 1759 and preached his first sermon just south of Philadelphia at Gloria Dei Church in Wicaco on Easter Sunday. Though he would remain in the region just under a decade, he had an immediate and enduring impact. He devoted much of his energy to expanding the presence of the Swedish churches and bolstering their membership. Ecumenical in spirit, Wrangel approached his challenge by building up the communities around him, including partnering with the neighboring minister of the German Lutheran Church, Heinrich M. Muhlenberg. Together these men formed a trusting friendship whereby the two preached in one another’s churches, attended one another’s synods, and even expanded the language of their services so that English, German, and Swedish were available to congregants. Wrangel’s outreach extended further still, as suggested by his title of godfather to APS member and Anglican minister Jacob Duché. He also cultivated the exchanges within the scientific community. His friend John Bartram frequently welcomed him at his farm where Wrangel would gather botanical and mineral specimens and forward them to his APS member Peter J. Berigus. Not all, however, were enthusiastic supporters of Wrangel, including some Swedish ministers who seemed jealous of his successes. Others charged him with being overly political and it was John Penn himself who testified how Wrangel had supported the local government, most memorably when he joined Benjamin Franklin in intercepting the Paxton Boys in Germantown. It did not take long for Wrangle’s critics to realize how difficult it was to attack a man admired by so many. His return to Sweden in 1766 left many feeling his absence. The Swedish King welcomed Wrangel back with many official appointments and kept the minister close during the Swedish revolution in 1772. The demands of Wrangel’s work eventually overtook his energy, ebbing as it was with age, and he resigned his positions to settle into a quieter position in the country. In this case, quiet meant oversight of of two parishes and four assistant ministers that served sixteen congregations. He died survived by his widow and son. (PI)