Jacob Marstrand was a Danishmaster baker and politician. He was a member of CopenhagenCity Council from 1893 and served as Mayor of the Technical Department in 1904-17. His second wife was the children's book writer Margrethe Marstrand.
Early life and career
Marstrabd was born on 10 August 1848 in Copenhagen, the son of toolmaker Theodor Christian Marstrand and Anna Henriette Mathilde Jansen Tiaden. He graduated from Schnee-kloth's School in 1865. His father had just died and his economic situation therefore forced him to give up his dream of becoming an engineer to become a baker's apprentice instead. The family lived in a house on Amerikavej where the father also had his tool factory. Marstrand was after completing his apprenticeship in 1874 able to take over the old bakery at Købmagergade 19. The company prospered under his management. In 1785-1896, e replaced the old building at Købmagergade 19 with a new one designed by his brother, Sophus Marstrand, who was an architect. In 1904, he passed the bread factory on to his eldest son.
Politics
Marstrand was in 1993 a co-founder of Copenhagen's Liberal Voters' Union and for 10 years served as its vice chairman before inn 1893 being elected for Copenhagen City Hall. He became a councilman in the city's Technical Department in 1900. He briefly served as acting Mayor of the Financial Department in 1904 before assuming the position as Mayor of the Technical Department. The city was booming, new districts, roads and buildings were constructed, utility infrastructure expanded and modernized and the city took over the city's tramways. He was a member of the Commission of Copenhagen's Railway Stations.
Other activities
Marstrand was from an early age struck by B.F.S. Grundtvig's thoughts and was for a while worked first for F. Falkenstjern'e folk high school in Frederiksberg and later his magazine. He wrote biographies of Benjamin Franklin, F. F. Falkenstjerne, C. F. Tietgen, George Stephenson, Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Herman Trier. He also published an autobiography, Tilbageblik gennem et langt Liv./
Personal life
Marstrand married twice. His first wife was Marie Elisabeth Neergaard, a daughter of joiner Peter N. and Cathrine Marie Fieron. They were married on 8 June 1875 in Tårbæk Church. They had six children, three sons and three daughters. Marstrand's second wife was children's book writer Margrethe Lønborg Jensen, a daughter of lithographer Harald Christian Jensen and Andrea Petrine Lønborg. They were married on 8 July 1915 in Frederiksberg. He died on 3 June 1935 and is buried at Vestre Cemetery.
