Hedberg, Oscar Eliseus   (1835 - 1923)

Hedberg was born in Hobart, Tas., on 1 November 1835; died in Hobart on 23 March 1923.

In 1874 he went to Victoria and joined the mounted police, and was associated with the round-up of the notorious Kelly gang.

About 10 years later he returned to Tasmania and was appointed Sub-Inspector of the Municipal Police.

He then occupied a series of senior positions, including Superintendent, Inspecting Superintendent and was twice Superintendent of the Hobart Gaol, the latter position being renamed Governor of the Gaol.

His father was an immigrant from Sweden who was naturalized shortly after the birth of Oscar; the latter was apparently a strong swimmer, and when only 16 he was presented with a gold watch by the citizens of Hobart and later, with three members of his family, saved a group of 16 people from drowning.

His second wife was a Miss Frances Morrisby (see Morrisby, J. R.).

He is joint collector (with C.W.H. Dicker) of the type of Eucalyptus perriniana F. Muell. ex Rodway (1893)

Note: Collections in Tasmanian Herbarium of cryptogams by O. Hedberg c.1940s are not this person.

Source: Extracted from:
Hall, N. (1978) Botanists of the eucalypts. CSIRO, Melbourne.
Portrait Photo: none known.