Nathanael Gerhard Schultén – Academic, militaryman and surveyor
Growing up at Prostvik
Nathanael Gerhard af Schultén was the son Samuel Schultén, professor of Law at the Åbo Academy, and Beata Maria Palander. Nathanael lost his father at the age of two and his mother entered a new marriage with Lieutenant Gabriel Hagelberg. The family continued to live in Prostvik in Nagu. At the age of 11, in 1762 Nathanael was enrolled at the Academy. He was promoted to master in 1772, and next year he was appointed astronomer at the Åbo Academy. Late that same year he moved to Sweden, where he worked at the observatories in Stockholm and in Uppsala
Surveying
In 1774 he returned to Finland and served for three years as an informator in Sveaborg. Then he came in contact with the land survey for the first time through Johan Justander, who performed triangular measurements in Sveaborg. Justander fell ill and died, and his measuring instruments were left at Sveaborg. That way, Schultén got the tools to help him perform his measurements. From 1777 he was a professor of physics at the Turku Academy and in 1779 he Schultén received the professor´s seat at Sveaborg.
During winter he studied in shipping theory and in summer he performed triangular measurements. As a professor at the Navy, he was commissioned in 1783 to conduct triangular measurements along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. During the following three years he performed measurements of the coast from Åland up to Torneå and from there along the western coast south to Ångermanland. In particular, he located the dangerous underwater ground and marked them on the charts.
Voyage to the Mediterranean
A highlight in Nathanael’s life was the journey with the frigate Diana to the Mediterranean in 1786-1787. During long stays in Italy and Morocco he was able to get acquainted with local sights and conditions. Later he often dreamed of returning to the south, but his wish was not fulfilled.
War and life in Finland
Upon the start of Gustavus III’s war, Nathanael was sent to Gävle to supervise the arming and manning of eighteen new guns sloops. He sailed with the sloops directly across the Gulf of Bothnia, straight for the inlet at Lypertö near Nystad and further through the archipelago sea to Hangö. The shortcut saved a lot of time and the small fleet arrived in time to take part in the Naval Battle on July 9, 1790 at Svensksund. After the war, Nathanael married Jakobina Teodora Finckenberg from Vikom. After the loss of Finland to Russia in 1809 Nathanael left Sweden and became a citizen of the Grand Dutchy of Finland. He received several honorary titles and had nine children. Of his sons Nathanael Gerhard and Otto Reinhold had significant careers, such as professors and senators.
