Jens Gasmann

He was born in 1776 in Gjerpen as the son of attorney Niels Egidius Gasmann (1747–1811) and his wife Kirstine Schweder (1757–1785) of the wealthy Zachariassen Wesseltoft family.^[1]

Jens Gasmann married Bodil Zachariassen Wesseltoft (1779–1848) in 1800. The couple had two daughters and two sons. Their youngest son Niels Egidius Møller became a merchant in Christiania, and married Simonine Møller, sister of parliament member Hans Eleonardus Møller and aunt of Hans Møller.^[1]

Jens Gasmann began his career at sea at a young age, and became a shipmaster in 1798, sailing a period for ship-owner Jørgen Aall.^[1] He took part in the Gunboat War, between Denmark-Norway and Great Britain, as secretary of admiral Fisker.^[2] In 1812 Jens Gasmann acquired burghership and settled on the mainland. He bought various real estate, but had to face a fire in 1824. However, he coped through this, raised a new building and later set up a distillery there. From 1818 he was also vice consul for Great Britain,^[1] the country he had helped waging war against only eight years earlier. He was later promoted to consul.

As a politician he served as a deputy representative in the Norwegian Parliament in 1824, representing the constituency of Skien og Porsgrund.^[3] In 1837, when local governance was introduced in Norway, Gasmann became the first deputy mayor of Porsgrund municipality. Jørgen Flood was mayor, following a "mutual agreement" between the council members.^[4] Gasmann served as deputy mayor again in 1838, before becoming mayor in 1839 and 1840 with Flood as deputy mayor.^[5] Gasmann left local politics on 31 December 1840.^[4]

From the 1820s Gasmann worked as a trade inspector and later harbor master.^[1]

After his death, an auction were held on his property. It was bought by later mayor Simon Karenius Høegh.^[6]