Georg Hjersing Høst

Georg Hjersing Høst (8 April 1734 – 22 April 1794) was a Danish government official and writer whose career took him both to Marocco and the Danish West Indies. His book Georg Hjersing Høst’s Account of the Island of St. Thomas and Its Governors Recorded there on the Island from 1769 until 1776 has been translated into English.

Early life and education Høst was born on 8 April 1734 in Vitten, the son of provost Christen Jensen Høst (1708–52) and Nille Hjersing (1713–59). His mother was, after his father's death in 1759, married to Lieutenant Gotfred Manniche (c. 1711–73). Høst matriculated from Aarhus Latin School in 1752. In 1755, he earned a Candidate of Theology degree from the University of Copenhagen.

Career In 1760, Høst was employed by the Danish African Company as an assistant in Morocco. He learned Arabic, was promoted and saw himself appointed as vice consul in Mogador. He returned to Denmark when the short-lived Danish Arica Company was dissolved.

Personal life

Høst married Birgitta Henrika Kragh (3 January 1754 – 28 January 1831) on 1 August 1771 on Saint Thomas. She was the daughter of commandant Jens Nielsen Kragh (c. 1729–73) and Elisabeth Hoffmann (née Esmith, 1711–82).