Gerhard Treschow

Gerhard Treschow (c.1659 – 23 May 1719) was a Danish-born Norwegian merchant and industrial pioneer. He was born in Møn. He was born into a family of merchants, and was the owner of brickworks, sawmills and ships. He founded a paper mill at Akerselva in Christiania, together with Ole Bentsen, a forerunner of Bentse Brug.

He was the son of Giord Rasmussen Treschow (ca. 1623-1665) and Anna Nilsdatter (died 1673). His father was a merchant and councilman in Stege on Mon, Denmark. By the 1690s, Gerhard was the owner of brickworks and sawmills. He also had his own ships to transport the merchandise and was major exporter of timber. In 1686, Gerhard and Ole Bentsen started a paper mill. From 1698 Gerhard was the sole owner of the mill.

In 1688, Gerhard married Karen Hansdatter Lemmich and the couple had two children; daughter Catherine and a son Justus. Justus took over his father’s business after his passed away on 23 May 1719.