Robert Emanuel Mattson Heritage

Robert Emanuel Mattson

Robert Emanuel Mattson was born in Vårdö, Åland. His father Mats Mattson was a shipowner and locally influential business person. At the age of 16 Mattson, against his father’s will, became sailor. He studied in Mariehamn Sailing School graduating shipmaster in 1872, at age of 21. In the same year he made an excursion to UK. Subsequently, Mattson mastered two sailing ships. In 1878, after spending about ten years at sea, Mattson became trader in Mariehamn. While Mattson played with high risk by operating with old craft, his business was so profitable that for a short period at the early 20th century he was the biggest shipowner of Finland. Mattson started estate investment in Helsinki in the early 20th century.
Mattson is characterised as religious, hardworking and businessman by nature. He was modest and often excessively thrifty.
Mattson was married twice; first to Amanda Gustava née Savander until her death in 1915. In the following year he married Sonja née Bergroth, formerly Tschaplin.