Hans Eleonardus Møller Sr. (1780 – 8 April 1860
in ''Gjerpen. En bygdebok'', by J. L. Qvisling. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.) was a Norwegian businessperson.

Personal life

Hans Eleonardus Møller was born in 1780 to

dr.med. Doctor Medicinae, also spelled Doctor Medicinæ and abbreviated Dr. Med., is a higher doctoral degree (a research doctorate) in medicine awarded by universities in Denmark and formerly in Norway. It is officially translated as Doctor of Medical S ...

Hans Møller (1736–1796) and his wife Eleonore Hedevig, née Rasch.Handel og skipsfart under krigs- og fredskonjunkturer. 1750–1807. Under revolusjons- og napoleonskrigene
in volume one of ''Porsgrunns historie'', by Joh. N. Tønnessen. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library. His father had immigrated to Norway from their native Denmark. He was born at Onsø,Storgaden 186
in ''Eidanger–Porsgrund'', by Finn C. Knudsen (1932). Hosted by Porsgrunn public library. but grew up at Åkre at

Porsgrund Porsgrund Porcelain Factory (''Porsgrunds Porselænsfabrik'', abbreviated PP) is a porcelain flatware company located at Porsgrunn in Telemark county, Norway. History The company's production plant is a popular tourist attraction. The company wa ...

.Kriseårene fram til ca. 1850
in ''Litt om Porsgrunns oppkomst og økonomiske utvikling'', by Chr. Abrahamsen. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library. His uncle was Danish bishop Rasmus Møller, and his cousin was professor Paul Martin Møller. His older brother Jacob Nikolaus moved to Germany, where his son (and Hans Eleonardus' nephew) Johannes Møller became a history professor. Jacob Nikolaus was also an intellectual, befriending

Henrik Steffens Henrik Steffens (2 May 1773 – 13 February 1845), was a Norwegian philosopher, scientist, and poet. Early life, education, and lectures He was born at Stavanger. At the age of fourteen he went with his parents to Copenhagen, where he studied ...

. Hans Eleonardus Møller Sr. married socialite Inger Aall (1774–1856), daughter of

Nicolai Benjamin Aall Nicolai Benjamin Aall (1739–1798) was a Norwegian businessman, ship-owner, property owner and timber merchant.

.Storgaden 159
by Finn C. Knudsen. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library. As such his brothers-in-law were noted politicians Niels,

Jørgen Jørgen is a Danish, Norwegian, and Faroese masculine given name cognate to George People with the given name Jørgen * Jørgen Aall (1771–1833), Norwegian ship-owner and politician * Jørgen Andersen (1886–1973), Norwegian gymnast * Jørgen ...

and

Jacob Aall Jacob Aall (27 July 1773 – 4 August 1844) was a Norwegian politician, historian, landowner and government economist. He was born the son of Nicolai Benjamin Aall (1739-1798), who was a merchant in Porsgrunn, Norway and owner of Ulefos Manor ...

. Their son Hans Eleonardus Møller became a member of the national parliament and married a daughter of Jacob Aall. Their daughter Simonine married a son of merchant and mayor

Jens Gasmann Jens Severin Gasmann (1776 – 7 May 1850) was a Norwegian businessperson and politician. Hans J. C. Aall Hans Jørgen Christian Aall (4 November 1806 – 24 February 1894) was a Norwegian jurist and elected official. Biography He was born on Næs Jernverk in Holt (now Tvedestrand) in Aust-Agder, Norway. He was the son of Jacob Aall (1773–1844) ...

, a son of Jacob Aall. The grandson of Møller Sr. Hans MøllerSkipsassuranse og banker
in volume two of ''Porsgrunns historie'', by Joh. N. Tønnessen. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library. also became a parliament member.

Career

Hans Eleonardus Møller Sr. started his career working for his father-in-law Nicolai Benjamin Aall. Following the death of N. B. Aall in 1798, Møller continued working for inheritor Niels Aall. From 1811 they co-owned a company Aall & Møller, but this was not profitable and was dissolved. Møller had invested 100,000 rigsdaler in the venture. He instead started as a merchant of his own, having acquired burghership in October 1803. Concentrating on timber merchantry, he also owned several ships. The Gunboat War from 1807 to 1813 saw the loss of many ships, but he invested and had the ships replaced. One ship seized in 1812 was bought back in 1814. He bought his last ship in 1828. Jacob Aall, father-in-law of two of Møller's children, described Møller as "one of Norway's most active and skillful merchants". Møller Sr. also became noted in the context of marine insurance, an endeavour spearheaded by his son Hans Eleonardus Jr. An association for marine insurance companies Den første norske Assuranceforening was founded in 1837, with Møller Sr. hired as treasurer in 1838. The association soon became an arena of contest between the Møller family and others, with Møller Jr. breaking away to found a rivalling marine insurance company ''Det Norske Lloyd'' in 1860. Møller Sr. died the same year.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moller, Hans Eleonardus 1780 births 1860 deaths People from Porsgrunn Norwegian businesspeople in shipping Norwegian businesspeople in insurance Norwegian people of Danish descent