Sofia Zweygberg

Margaretha Sofia Zweygberg (née Tilén; 10 July 1828 — 19 November 1883) was a Finnish textile wholesaler.

Zweygberg founded and led textile sales company Sofia Zweygberg that became largest of its kind in Finland. The operations were focused in eastern parts of the country.

Family

Sofia Tilén was born in Lohtaja, Grand Duchy of Finland. Her parents were sailor Matts and Anna Tilén. In 1851 she was married to 1826-born shoemaker, sniper Gustaf Adolf Zweygberg. The couple got four sons and two daughters during 1853–1862; however, three of the sons and one daughter died in their early years. Later Gustaf Zweygberg disappeared in Saint Petersburg.

Career

In 1868 Sofia Zweygberg founded her own retail company for Tampere-produced yarn and cotton in Viipuri market hall. The company and the selection grew rapidly due to her effective and skillful management. In 1878 Zweygberg began wholesaler who operated in the whole East Finland. Over several years her company was the largest cotton sales company of the Grand Duchy. The most important market was in the Karelian Isthmus, due to Russian tourists.

After Zweygberg's death in 1883, the company was continued by her son-in-law Viktor Ferdinand Grönroos. Following to his death, the company management went to the widow Sofia Grönroos, Zweygberg's daughter. The company name became Oy Sofia Zweygberg Ab in 1913.

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