Arent Magnin (born 13 January 1825 – 19 September 1888) was a Dutch politician, who made a career in the administration on the

Dutch Gold Coast The Dutch Gold Coast or Dutch Guinea, officially Dutch possessions on the Coast of Guinea (Dutch language, Dutch: ''Nederlandse Bezittingen ter Kuste van Guinea'') was a portion of contemporary Ghana that was gradually colonized by the Dutch (et ...

and who later served as mayor in several Dutch municipalities.

Biography

Arent Magnin was born in

Meppel Meppel (; Drents: ''Möppelt'') is a city and municipality in the Northeastern Netherlands. It constitutes the southwestern part of the province of Drenthe. Meppel is the smallest municipality in Drenthe, with a total area of about . As of 1 July ...

to Jean Samuel Magnin and Grietien Wildeboer. He was appointed assistant on the Gold Coast in 1857, serving as commandant of

Fort Patience Fort Patience (Dutch: ''Fort Lijdzaamheid'', or, in 17th-century spelling, ''Fort Leydsaemheyt'') is a Dutch-built fort located in the township of Apam, in the Central Region of Ghana. Originally built in 1697, it served as a defensive fortificat ...

Apam Apam is a coastal town and capital of Gomoa West District in the Central Region (Ghana), Central Region of Ghana, located approximately 45 kilometers east of the Central Region capital, Cape Coast. Apam is the site of Fort Lijdzaamheid or Fort Pa ...

from 1858 onwards. He was also appointed replacement judge at the Court of Justice in Elmina. During the European leave of governor

Cornelis Nagtglas Cornelis Johannes Marius Nagtglas (born 16 May 1814 – 19 January 1897) was a Dutch politician and civil servant, who made a career in the administration on the Dutch Gold Coast. After originally beginning his career at the advanced age of 3 ...

, Magnin temporarily became second in command of the colony, serving as bookkeeper, secretary and public prosecutor under governor ad interim Cornelis Meeuwsen. Upon Nagtglas' return, he was installed adjutant to the governor. Magnin was granted

European European, or Europeans, may refer to: In general * ''European'', an adjective referring to something of, from, or related to Europe ** Ethnic groups in Europe ** Demographics of Europe ** European cuisine, the cuisines of Europe and other West ...

leave in September 1863. When Magnin returned to the Gold Coast in September 1864, he was promoted to the rank of resident, and again shortly became second in command until governor Henri Alexander Elias returned from European leave in late 1864. After governor Elias retired to Europe for good a few months later, Magnin was installed governor ad interim. Magnin served from 4 May 1865 until 19 February 1866, when the newly appointed governor Willem Hendrik Johan van Idsinga arrived on the Gold Coast. Magnin was then honourably discharged, retiring from service on the Gold Coast and returning to Europe. In the

Netherlands , Terminology of the Low Countries, informally Holland, is a country in Northwestern Europe, with Caribbean Netherlands, overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of the four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Nether ...

, Magnin was appointed mayor of

Hoogwoud Hoogwoud (; West Frisian (dialect), West Frisian: ''Hougwoud'') is a small city in the Netherlands, Dutch province of North Holland. It is a part of the municipality of Opmeer, and lies about northeast of Heerhugowaard. History Hoogwoud was fir ...

in 1866, of

Beverwijk Beverwijk () is a municipality and a city in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. The town is located about northwest of Amsterdam in the Randstad metropolitan area, north of the North Sea Canal very close to the North Sea coast. A ...

and Wijk aan Zee en Duin in 1867 and of

Veendam Veendam () is a town and municipality with a population of 27,752 in the province of Groningen in the northeast of the Netherlands. Veendam was established in 1648 as a peat colony by Adriaan Geerts Wildervanck. Holland America Line has named fo ...

in 1880. He was still mayor of the latter place when he died in 1888.

Personal life

Magnin married Margaretha Moerman with whom he had six children.

Decorations

Legion d'Honneur The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Magnin, Arent 1825 births 1888 deaths Colonial governors of the Dutch Gold Coast Mayors in North Holland People from Beverwijk Mayors in Groningen (province) People from Veendam Politicians from Meppel