Niels Carlsen (8 January 1734 – 3 May 1809) was a Norwegian timber merchant, landowner, shipowner and banker. Carlsen was one of the biggest ship owners in Norway of his time.

Career

Carlsen was born in

Drøbak Drøbak is a List of cities in Norway, town and the centre of the municipality of Frogn, in Viken county, Norway. The city is located along the Oslofjord, and has 13,409 inhabitants. History Drøbak and Frogn was established as a parish on its o ...

Akershus Akershus () is a traditional region and current electoral district in Norway, with Oslo as its main city and traditional capital. It is named after the Akershus Fortress in Oslo. From the middle ages to 1919, Akershus was a fief and main county ...

, Norway. He was the son of Jacob Carlsen (ca. 1685-1749) and Maria Jørgensdatter Frost. His father had married the widow of his employer and took over the trading business. Drøbak had a favorable location situated on east side of

Drøbak Sound The Drøbak Sound ( Norwegian: Drøbaksundet) is a sound at the Oslofjord narrows between Drøbak and Hurum. Outer Oslofjord, which is a term for the Oslofjord south of the Drøbak Sound until it meets the Skagerrak. Inner Oslofjord which is a t ...

, at the narrowest part of the

Oslo Fjord The Oslofjord (, ; en, Oslo Fjord) is an inlet in the south-east of Norway, stretching from an imaginary line between the and lighthouses and down to in the south to Oslo in the north. It is part of the Skagerrak strait, connecting the Nor ...

. It was near the capital, had good anchoring and mooring facilities and a protective harbor. Niels Carlsen and his half brothers Christian went into their father's business and expanded it. The brothers were shipowners, forest owners, traded in both imports and exports and took part in the financing operations that came with the profession. Carlsen bought up forest lands on both sides of the bay, floated the logs into circulation plots which he had acquired along Drøbak Sound, operated a sawmill and built bulwark against the sea to facilitate the loading of ships. He owned a large part of the property along the seafront as well as the small islands where

Oscarsborg Fortress Oscarsborg Fortress ( no, Oscarsborg festning) is a coastal fortress in the Oslofjord, close to the small town of Drøbak in Viken county, Norway. The best known part is situated on two small islets. The main artillery batteries are on the island ...

is now situated. With these acquisition, he initiated the operation of a ferry landing, plus guest house and coaching inn. Carlsen married Martha Zachariassen (1743–1821), the daughter of Zacharias Simonsen Wesseltoft (1701-1777), a wealthy merchant and shipowner in

Skien Skien () is a city and municipality in Vestfold og Telemark county in Norway. In modern times it is regarded as part of the traditional region of Grenland, although historically it belonged to Grenmar/Skiensfjorden, while Grenland referred the Norsj ...

. She and her family contributed to the further development of Carlsen's business and to the development of Drøbak. Carlsen and his wife donated funds for a wooden cruciform church, hospital and school. Drøbak Church (''Drøbak kirke'') was fully furnished and was inaugurated in 1776. Facing the church is the building which was dedicated as a hospital and hostel for poor widows in 1793. A bust of Carlsen, made by

Arne Vinje Gunnerud Arne Vinje Gunnerud (11 August 1930 – 25 April 2007) was a Norwegian sculptor. Biography Gunnerud was born in the Vika neighborhood of Oslo and grew up at Drøbak in Akershus. He was the son of Andreas Gunnerud (1879–1951) and Marie Victor ...

, is located between Drøbak Church and the old Drøbak Hospital.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carlsen, Niels 1734 births 1809 deaths People from Frogn Norwegian philanthropists Norwegian merchants Norwegian businesspeople in timber Norwegian businesspeople in shipping Norwegian bankers Norwegian landowners 18th-century Norwegian businesspeople 19th-century Norwegian businesspeople 18th-century philanthropists