Simon Karenius Høegh (7 September 1810 – 28 December 1893) was a Norwegian bank treasurer, merchant and politician.[1]

Simon Karenius Høegh
Mayor of Brevig
In office
1840–?
Mayor of Porsgrund municipality
In office
1855–1855
Vice mayor of Porsgrund municipality
In office
1854–1854
In office
1858–1858
In office
1863–1863
In office
1864–1864
In office
1866–1866
Personal details
Born7 September 1810
Died28 December 1893
NationalityNorwegian
Political partyIndependent
OccupationBank treasurer and merchant

Personal life

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Simon Karenius Høegh was born in 1810. He was originally christened Søren, because the baptizer was almost "deaf", however the mistake was resolved.[2] His father Anders Jensen Høegh was described by one historian as a "common, enterprising, skillful burgher of Brevig". He had been married for the second time, to Cathrine Cudrio, née Zachariassen.[2]

Simon Karenius Høegh married Karen Sophie Wiborg (1815-1905) in 1843.[1] She was the daughter of Simon Grotter Wiborg and his wife Karen, née Holst, from Tønsberg. Karen Sofie Høegh became a noted genealogist.[2] The couple got three sons, one of whom became vicar,[3] and three daughters.[1]

Career

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Simon Karenius Høegh finished school in 1827, and left for Truro to learn the English language. He returned to Norway and took a business and trade exam in Arendal in 1831. In 1837 he acquired burghership in Skien. He started his own business, helped by a 1000 speciedaler funding from his father and grandmother. He started timber merchantry, and bought one schooner as a freight vessel. He later expanded from this starting point, becoming a ship-owner. He was also elected mayor of Brevig in 1840.[2]

In 1851 he moved to Porsgrund, almost by coincidence according to historians.[1][2] He was present at the auction which followed the death of businessman, consul and politician Jens Gasmann, and there Høegh bought Gasmann's property. In Porsgrund Høegh set up a beer brewery, later turned to a bakery.[4] He also owned a gunpowder factory, but it exploded in 1875. By then he had been appointed treasurer of Porsgrund savings bank, a job he held from 1868 to his death in 1893.[1]

Despite having left Brevig, Høegh was still active in politics. He was elected mayor of Porsgrund municipality for the year 1855. He also held the position of vice mayor in 1854, 1858, 1863, 1864 and 1866.[5]

He was also active in a local branch of the Norwegian Seamen's Mission. [6]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Storgaden 131, in Eidanger–Porsgrund, by Finn C. Knudsen (1932). Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.
  2. ^ a b c d e Anders Jensen og slekten Høegh i Brevik, by Nicolay W. Coch. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.
  3. ^ Residerende kapellaner, in Boken om Eidanger by I. C. Ramberg. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.
  4. ^ Industrien, by Carl Lund. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.
  5. ^ Ordførere og viceordførere, by Carl Lund. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.
  6. ^ Selskaber og foreninger af kristelig, almennyttig, faglig, politisk og selskabelig art, by Carl Lund. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.