Christian Møinichen Havig

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Christian Møinichen Havig (April 4, 1825 – April 10, 1912) was a Norwegian politician with the Liberal Party. He worked as a bailiff and represented Nordland in the Storting (Norway’s parliament) from 1871 to 1888.

He was born at Havika farm in Overhalla in Namdalen, and his family later moved to Vikna. In 1854 he married Dorthea Karstine Nergaard; they had children, including Christian Fredrik Nergaard Havig and Thorleiv Nergaard Havig, who also held public roles.

Havig had little formal schooling but learned enough to work in public offices. He started in bailiff offices, then worked for his cousin Jørgen Havig in Namsos, who was also a Storting member. He served as mayor of Namsos and, later, as an assistant to the district judge in Namdalen until 1858. He then became bailiff in Vefsn, Nordland, a post he held until 1904.

In national politics, Havig served on several committees and held leadership roles in the Storting, including president of the Lagting (the upper house) from 1885 to 1888. He was also secretary in the Odelsting (the lower house) and a member of the Constitutional Court. After Norway’s dissolution of the union with Sweden in 1905, he supported the republican side and served as mayor of Vefsn that year. He died in 1912 at age 87.