Johan Collett

Painting of Johan Collett, by Carl Frederik Vogt (1781–1834)

Johan Collett (22 March 1775 – 19 June 1827, age 52) was a Norwegian politician.

Personal life

He was born in Næstved, Denmark,^[1] as the youngest living son of Johan Collett, Sr. (1734–1806) and Else Elisabeth Jensen (1746–1788). He had both older and younger siblings, but many died young. One of his brothers Jonas was a politician too.^[2]

He married Christiane Birgithe de Stockfleth (1782–1829). The couple had eleven children.^[2] His son Johan Christian Collett became a politician too. One of their daughters Sophie Augusta Collett (born 1811) married businessman Peter Severin Steenstrup, and a son Peter Jonas Collett (born 1813) married noted writer Camilla Wergeland. Through the latter marriage, Johan Collett was the grandfather of Robert and Alf Collett.

Career

Collett grew up in Copenhagen, and studied at the University of Copenhagen. Being proud of his Norwegian ancestry, he was a member of the Norwegian Society in Copenhagen, and later one of the directors of the society. He graduated as cand.jur. in 1796. In 1802 he was appointed bailiff in Buskerud, and therefore moved to Norway.^[1]

As a politician, Johan Collett was appointed County Governor of Buskerud in 1814. He succeeded his brother Jonas Collett. He was County Governor until his death in 1827, and was succeeded by Niels Arntzen Sem.^[3]

While he was County Governor, he was also elected to the Norwegian Parliament. He was a member of the Constituent Assembly at Eidsvold in 1814, which formed the Constitution of Norway, and then a member of the first parliamentary session later in 1814. He was later re-elected to serve three more terms in 1818, 1824 and 1827.^[4]

He was decorated Knight of the Order of Vasa in 1815, and Knight of the Order of the Polar Star in 1818.^[1]

References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Bratberg, Terje. "Johan Collett". In Helle, Knut. Norsk biografisk leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 30 December 2013. 
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Collett family part 1
3. ↑ Norwegian Counties — World Statesmen.org
4. ↑ Johan Collett — Norwegian Social Science Data Services (NSD)