Eva Ekeblad

Eva Ekeblad
Eva Ekeblad
Born	July 10, 1724 Sweden
Died	May 15, 1786 (1786-05-16) (aged 61) Sweden
Residence	and Västergötland
Citizenship	Swedish
Fields	Agronomy
Known for	Making alcohol of potatoes (1746)
Influenced	Reduced the hunger by making potatoes a basic food.
Notable awards	Membership in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (1748)
Notes
First woman in the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences: full member 1748-51, honorary member 1751-86.

Eva Ekeblad (10 July 1724 – 15 May 1786), née Eva De la Gardie, was a Swedish agronomist, scientist, Salonist and noble (Countess). Her most known discovery was to make flour and alcohol out of potatoes (1746). She was the first female member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (1748).

Eva De la Gardie was born to statesman count Magnus Julius De la Gardie (1668–1741) and the amateur politician and salonist Hedvig Catharina Lilje: sister of Captain Carl Julius De la Gardie and Hedvig Catharina De la Gardie and the aunt of Axel von Fersen the Younger. Her brother was married to the famous Cathérine Charlotte De la Gardie and the brother-in-law of the royal favorite Hedvig Taube.

In 1740, Eva married at the age of 16 to the riksråd count Claes Claesson Ekeblad, and became the mother of seven children; one son and six daughters. Among them being Claes Julius Ekeblad (1742-1808) and Hedda Piper. They spouses belonged to the elite of the Swedish nobility.

Upon her marriage, her father gave her the estates Mariedal Castle and Lindholmen Castle, Västergötland. Her spouse, additionally, owned the Stola Manor estate as well as a residence in the capital of .

Because the frequent absence of her spouse in business, Eva Ekeblad was given the responsibility of the management of the three estates, including the task to supervise the bailiffs and preside at the country-assembly's of the parishes of the estates. She is described as an imposing and temperamental with great authority: fair toward the peasantry, whom she protected against abuse from the bailiffs in return for obedience, and someone who did not hesitate to rectify and punish wrongdoings during conflicts with local dignitaries. She also had a leading role in the local aristocracy, and Stola manor was renowned for its good order.