Hans Lars Helgesen

Who was Hans Lars Helgesen?

Hans Lars Helgesen was a Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada from 1878 to 1886. He was a local pioneer, farmer, seafarer, prospector and Member of Parliament for Esquimalt and Cariboo.

Born in Asker, Norway, Helgesen is reckoned to be the first notable Norwegian immigrant to settle permanently in British Columbia, arriving from California to take part in the gold rush. During the 1860s he was elected to the colonial assembly .

In 1878 he was elected to the provincial legislature, representing the riding of Esquimalt. He won his seat again in the general election of 1882 but was defeated in the election of 1886. He ran again in the British Columbia general election, 1890 but was again defeated, retiring from politics. With another Norwegian immigrant, Alfred Magnusson, he became successful in the development of the commercial fishery in the Queen Charlotte Islands. During the early 1900s Helgesen was employed as a fisheries Guardian for the Upper Skeena area and was instrumental in negotiating the Babine barricade agreement of 1906.