Abraham Kersten

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Abraham Kersten (born January 10, 1733 in Elberfeld , now Wuppertal ; † March 10, 1796 there ) was director and co-founder of one of the oldest German banking houses, the Kersten brothers .

Life

In 1754 Abraham Kersten and his brother Caspar Kersten (1734–1807) took over the commercial and financial business of his father Conrad Kersten ; they operated under the name Kersten Brothers . Gradually, the company changed from a trading to a banking business; Probably since around 1780, money transactions were a major focus. Conrad Kersten retired from the business early and died a few years later. Caspar retired from management after a few years, but remained a partner. Abraham expanded the bank and used the business opportunities in the economically flourishing valley of the Wupper .

He married Maria Catharina Weerth (1744–1829) on January 24, 1765, with whom he had four daughters and one son. His son died young at the age of 22. His daughter Wilhelmine (1771–1854) married Daniel Heinrich von der Heydt on May 15, 1794 , who became a partner four years later. At the time of the marriage, Abraham was already seriously ill. His wife and daughter Wilhelmine had temporarily continued the banking business. They had previously received commercial training, which was unusual at the time. Daniel von der Heydt expanded the bank very successfully; In 1827 the name was changed to von der Heydt-Kersten & Sons . Abraham's daughter Helene Kersten married Wilhelm Zais from Cannstatt on August 7, 1800 . He was also supposed to become a partner, but opened the first factory in Cannstatt, a Turkish red dye works in Württemberg. Another daughter Johanna Kersten (1782–1848) married Johann Kaspar Gottfried Wever (1780–1857) from Wald (today part of Solingen) on December 22, 1802 , and shortly afterwards he also became a partner in the bank.

Abraham Kersten, together with his brother, was one of the founding members of the “ First Reading Society ” in Elberfeld , established in 1775 , one of the first educational associations in the Rhineland. He was her active sponsor and gave various lectures there.

Today Kerstenplatz in the Elberfeld pedestrian zone is named after Kersten .

See also

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Konrad Kersten
  2. ↑ Konrad Kersten, Notes
  3. ↑ Unique Elberfeld tradition . In: Die Zeit , No. 9/1951
  4. ↑ Detlev Krause: yarn, money and bills of exchange. 250 years of Heydt-Kersten & Sons . Wuppertal 2004, pp. 16-18
  5. ↑ Die Von der Heydts: Bankers, Christians and Patrons . ISBN 3-928766-49-X
personal data
SURNAME Kersten, Abraham
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German entrepreneur and banker
DATE OF BIRTH January 10, 1733
PLACE OF BIRTH Elberfeld
DATE OF DEATH March 10, 1796
Place of death Elberfeld