Christen Knudsen (25 January 1813 - 7 April 1888) was a Norwegian ship-owner.Frednesalléen 1
in ''Eidanger–Porsgrund'', by Finn C. Knudsen (1932). Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.

Personal life

Christen Knudsen was born in 1813 at Salterød near Arendal. He moved to Porsgrunn in 1855.Korte biografiske notitser om enkelte gamle slægter og personer i Porsgrund
by Carl Lund. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library. He married Guro Aadnesdatter (1808-1900), later spelt "Gurine Aanonsen". The couple had three children. Their sons

Jørgen Christian Knudsen Jørgen Christian Knudsen (5 January
in ''Porsgrunds udvikling 1860-1900'', by A. L. Coll. Hosted by Porsgrunn public ...

and

Gunnar Knudsen Gunnar Knudsen (19 September 1848 – 1 December 1928), born Aanon Gunerius Knudsen, was a Norwegian politician from the Liberal Party who served as the 11th Prime Minister of Norway twice from 1908 to 1910 and from 1913 to 1920. He also inheri ...

both became wealthy ship-owners and influential politicians: Jørgen Christian as mayor and parliament member, Gunnar as Prime Minister of Norway. Their only daughter Serine married

Johan Jeremiassen Johan Jeremiassen (8 January 1843- 25 January 1889) was a Norwegian entrepreneur, ship-owner, consul and politician. He established the porcelain flatware company. Porsgrund Porselænsfabrik.

and had a political career of her own, starting even before

women's suffrage Women's suffrage is the women's rights, right of women to Suffrage, vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to gran ...

was introduced.

Career

Having moved to Porsgrund, the ship business flourished. As a ship-owner he owned a considerable fleet, of which fourteen ships was built at his own shipbuilding yard. Together with P. M. Petersen and son-in-law Johan Jeremiassen he was described as one of "the three large ship-owners of the city". He was also a navy captain. On the mainland, he invested in real estate. A ship belonging to his son Gunnar was named ''Christen Knudsen'', but this was sunk by the Kaiserliche Marine in 1916.Under den 1. verdenskrig
in volume one of ''Porsgrunns historie'', by Joh. N. Tønnessen. Hosted by Porsgrunn public library.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Knudsen, Christen 1813 births 1888 deaths People from Arendal People from Porsgrunn Norwegian businesspeople in shipping