Carl Gustaf Wolff
Encyclopedia
Carl Gustaf Wolff was a prominent Finnish shipowner and businessman during his time. He was born in either Noormarkku
(Sw. Norrmark) or Suomenlinna
(Sw. Sveaborg) in Finland
, when it still was a part of Sweden
. His father Dietrich Wolff lead the military orchestra in Suomenlinna and later he became the conductor for the regiment in Pori
. Sometime in between these jobs Carl Gustaf was born.
Carl Gustafs father died when Carl was twelve years old and after that he made a living as a sales clerk in Pori. When he was 18 - or 20 according to some sources - he turned up in Vaasa
without a dime. Already in 1825 he had opened his first store and was also the first that could be called a book salesman in Vaasa. He also started the city's first printing press and published the city's first paper (Wasa Tidning) in 1839.
But what he is most known for is his career as a shipowner. In 1828 he became a partial shipowner, in 1830 he took part in building the brig Wänskapen in Petsmo and four years later he was the owner of a shipyard in the Strait of Palosaari in Vaasa. There he built 48 ships, of which 42 were his. In his prime he was the biggest shipowner in Finland and the Nordic countries. In 1867 the private person Carl Gustaf Wolff had more tonnage than the cities Kokkola
, Jakobstad
, Nykarleby
, Kristinestad
, Rauma
and Pori
put together.
Carl Gustaf Wolff also represented Vaasa in the burghers
estate in the Diet of Finland
in 1862-63 and 1867.
He died in Stockholm
, in 1868.
Noormarkku
Noormarkku is a former municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Western Finland and was part of the Satakunta region. The municipality had a population of 6,158 and covered an area of of which is water. The population density was .Noormarkku is the birthplace of the Ahlstrom...
(Sw. Norrmark) or Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna
Suomenlinna, until 1918 Viapori , or Sveaborg , is an inhabited sea fortress built on six islands , and which now forms part of the city of Helsinki, the capital of Finland.Suomenlinna is a UNESCO World Heritage site and popular with both tourists and locals, who...
(Sw. Sveaborg) in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, when it still was a part of Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. His father Dietrich Wolff lead the military orchestra in Suomenlinna and later he became the conductor for the regiment in Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
. Sometime in between these jobs Carl Gustaf was born.
Carl Gustafs father died when Carl was twelve years old and after that he made a living as a sales clerk in Pori. When he was 18 - or 20 according to some sources - he turned up in Vaasa
Vaasa
Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. It received its charter in 1606, during the reign of Charles IX of Sweden and is named after the Royal House of Vasa...
without a dime. Already in 1825 he had opened his first store and was also the first that could be called a book salesman in Vaasa. He also started the city's first printing press and published the city's first paper (Wasa Tidning) in 1839.
But what he is most known for is his career as a shipowner. In 1828 he became a partial shipowner, in 1830 he took part in building the brig Wänskapen in Petsmo and four years later he was the owner of a shipyard in the Strait of Palosaari in Vaasa. There he built 48 ships, of which 42 were his. In his prime he was the biggest shipowner in Finland and the Nordic countries. In 1867 the private person Carl Gustaf Wolff had more tonnage than the cities Kokkola
Kokkola
Kokkola is a town and municipality of Finland.The town is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Central Ostrobothnia region. The town has a population of and covers an area of of which is water. The population density is...
, Jakobstad
Jakobstad
Jakobstad is a town and municipality in Ostrobothnia, Finland. The town has a population of and covers a land area of . The population density is .- History :...
, Nykarleby
Nykarleby
Nykarleby is a town and municipality of Finland. It is located in the province of Western Finland and is part of the Ostrobothnia region. The municipality is bilingual, with the majority speaking Swedish and the minority Finnish ....
, Kristinestad
Kristinestad
Kristinestad is a town and a municipality in Finland. It is located in the western part of Finland on the shore of the Bothnian Sea. The population of Kristinestad is and the municipality covers an area of of which is inland water . The population density is . The population is bilingual...
, Rauma
Rauma, Finland
Rauma is a town and municipality of ca. inhabitants on the west coast of Finland, north of Turku, and south of Pori. Granted town privileges on May 17, 1442 , Rauma is known of its high quality lace , and of the old wooden architecture of its centre , which is a Unesco world heritage...
and Pori
Pori
Pori is a city and municipality on the west coast of Finland. The city is located some from the Gulf of Bothnia, on the estuary of the Kokemäenjoki river, which is the largest in Finland. Pori is the most important town in the Satakunta region....
put together.
Carl Gustaf Wolff also represented Vaasa in the burghers
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
estate in the Diet of Finland
Diet of Finland
The Diet of Finland , was the legislative assembly of the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1906 and the recipient of the powers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates....
in 1862-63 and 1867.
He died in Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
, in 1868.