_(7859244812).jpg)
Jacob Liv Borch Sverdrup (8 February 1775 – 15 May 1841) was a Norwegian educator and farmer, known for establishing the firstagricultural school inScandinavia.
Sverdrup was born atLaugen manor in theprestegjeld ofNærøy as a son of landowner Peter Jacob Sverdrup (1728–1795) and his wife Hilleborg Margrethe Schultz (1743–1828). He was the brother ofGeorg Sverdrup. He was also a nephew ofJørgen Jørgensen Sverdrup.[1]
He was married twice. From August 1801 he was married to Gundelle Birgitte Jean, who died in December 1820). In March 1826 he married Nicoline Schjelderup (1789–1840). From the first marriage he had the sonsHarald Ulrik Sverdrup andJohan Sverdrup. The latter served asPrime Minister of Norway from 1884 to 1889. Through Harald Ulrik Sverdrup he was the grandfather ofJakob Sverdrup,Harald Ulrik Sverdrup, Jr,Georg Sverdrup andEdvard Sverdrup.[1] Through his daughter Livia Sverdrup he was a grandfather ofJonas Smitt,Jakob Sverdrup Smitt andLivius Smitt.[2] He was also a great-grandfather ofJakob Sverdrup,Georg Johan Sverdrup,Harald Sverdrup andLeif Sverdrup.[3]
The son of landowners, Sverdrup embarked on an academic career. After attending school inThrondhjem from 1792, he enrolled at theUniversity of Copenhagen in 1794. He mainly studiedbotany, but also language and history. He worked as a private tutor and teacher in Denmark after studying, but returned to Norway in 1807, the same year as theGunboat War broke out. While working as headmaster inKongsberg, he practicedhorticulture on the school property.Herman Wedel-Jarlsberg, who wasCounty Governor, hired him as managerJarlsberg Manor in 1812. In addition to horticultural and agricultural improvements at Jarlsberg, Sverdrup setdairy farming. In 1815 a cheese factory was established. The name Jarlsberg was later used forJarlsberg cheese,[1] which was first developed by Anders Larsen Bakke in the second half of the eighteenth century, and got its current design in 1956.[4]
In 1825 Sverdrup left Jarlsberg, and bought the farmNedre Semb inBorre.[5] In the same year he established anagricultural school at this farm, which is recognized as the first of its kind inScandinavia.[1] Ablacksmith and a tool shed were raised as well. The school was not attended chiefly by sons of proprietors, rather by sons of farmers. The theoretical aspect of the education was downplayed in favor of the practical. Nonetheless, Sverdrup also monitored European academic discussions in his field, especially the writings ofAlbrecht Thaer. Sverdrup published several books, contributed to newspapers and edited the magazinesMagazin for Landmanden from 1828 to 1832 andDen erfarne Landmand from 1837 to 1839.[1]
From 1835 to 1840 he was employed by Georg Sverdrup's brother-in-law as manager ofFritzøe Works. His son Peter Jacob continued his work,[1] but the funding for Sem Agricultural School was cut by theNorwegian Parliament in 1836.[5] However, other agricultural schools soon appeared, including schools in Sweden (1834) and Denmark (1837).[1] TheNorwegian College of Agriculture followed in 1854.[6] Sverdrup died in May 1841 inLarvik Municipality. Abust of Jacob Liv Borch Sverdrup was raised at the Norwegian College of Agriculture in 1925.[1]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
