Arvid Adolf Etholén facts for kids
Arvid Adolf Etholén, also known as Adolf Karlovich Etolin, was born on January 9, 1799, in Helsinki, which was then part of Swedish Finland. He was a Swedish-speaking Finn. Etholén became a naval officer and an explorer for the Russian Empire. He also worked as an administrator for the Russian-American Company starting in July 1818. He first arrived in Novoarkhangelsk (now Sitka, Alaska) in Russian America in 1818. He rose through the ranks to become the Chief Manager of the company from 1840 to 1845. This important role was sometimes incorrectly called "Governor."
Etholén's Exciting Career
Etholén traveled from Russia to Russian America with Vasily Golovnin. This journey was part of Golovnin's trip around the world between 1817 and 1819. They sailed on a ship called the Kamchatka. A writer named Kiril Timofeevich Khlĕbnikov wrote about this time. He quoted Alexander Andreyevich Baranov, an earlier Chief Manager, who wished he had more men like Etholén earlier.
Etholén joined the Russian-American Company in July 1818. Before that, he was in the Imperial Russian Navy. He worked in the Pacific Ocean from 1818 to 1825 as a ship's master. During this time, he helped explore and map the Bering Sea from 1822 to 1824.
After returning to Europe in 1825, he rejoined the Russian-American Company in 1826. In 1834, he became an assistant to the Chief Manager of Russian America. Then, from 1840 to 1845, he became the Chief Manager himself. Etholén left the Russian-American Company in 1847. By then, he had reached the rank of Rear Admiral in the navy.
From 1847 to 1859, Etholén served on the board of the Russian-American Company. This board was located in Saint Petersburg, Russia. In 1856, he was given a special title of nobility. Two years later, he was officially added to the Finnish House of Nobility. He even attended the Diet (a type of parliament) as a representative of the nobility from 1863 to 1876.
Adolf Etholén passed away at his home in Elimäki, Finland, in 1876.
What's Named After Etholén?
The name Etolin, which is the Russian version of Etholén's name, can be found in several places on maps of Alaska.
For example, Etolin Island was named after him by the United States. This happened after the Alaska Purchase in 1867. Before that, it was known as the Duke of York's Island. There is also Etolin Strait, which is a narrow body of water. Other places named after him include a cape, a point of land, and a mountain.
The National Museum of Finland has a special collection called the Etholén collection (Etholén Alaskassa). It contains many interesting items from Alaska. These items help us understand the culture and history of the region.
See also
In Spanish: Adolf Etolin para niños
