Jacob Hagen

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Jacob Hagen (29 January 1809 – 24 January 1870) was a South Australian businessman who held a seat in the Legislative Council from September 1843 to February 1851. Born in Bermondsey, he was educated in Southgate, Middlesex, and arrived in the colony in December 1839 aboard the William Barrass.

In Echunga he bought part of Barton Hack’s selection and put Walter Duffield in charge, turning to grape growing. His wine was among the first produced in the colony. The Hagen Arms, opened around 1853 near that area, was named after him and still stands today. In 1853 he moved back to England, buying Ropley House and a large estate known as the New House Estate; the Watercress Line was later built on this land between 1861 and 1865.

Hagen was involved in many ventures. He briefly ran an import business with his father as Hagen & Son. Their ship Lalla Rookh carried whale oil and some of South Australia’s first wool exports to London in 1840. He partnered with John Baker, John Bentham Neales, Capt. John Hart, and others in the Adelaide Auction Company. He and his brother Edward also owned a share in Capt. Hart’s barque Augustus, which brought passengers to Adelaide in 1843, and he worked with Baker on the whaling ship John Pirie and a whaling station at Trial Bay. The pair also pursued timber and iron smelting ventures and, with Hart, operated the whaler John Pirie.

Hagen and Baker were both active in local affairs, serving on the Board of Magistrates, the Central Road Board, the Marine Insurance Company, and as SA directors of the Australian Mining Company (his brother Edward was the England director). He was also involved with the Church of England Life Assurance Institution in London and made several trips to Britain, returning in 1841 and 1847.

In politics, Hagen was appointed to the Legislative Council in 1843 and served until 1851. He was vigorous in defending his views and opposed some of Governor Grey’s measures. After mining rights were refused for some copper land, he accused Grey of corrupt conduct, contributing to Grey’s relocation to New Zealand.

Hagen favored policies that benefited squatters and criticized the indigent poor for relying on government charity. He even proposed a system of inherited titles and, in another move, maps of electorates that would give greater weight to squatters’ votes.

In 1853 Hagen, his wife and some family members left for England, never returning. He kept the Echunga property but managed it tightly, and by the time of his death his wealth had diminished to about £8,000. He had originally been a Quaker, but after his second marriage his status within the Society of Friends changed. He married twice: first to Jane Greenwood in 1834, and then to Mary Baker in 1844. Mary was the daughter of Richard Chaffey Baker and Mary Anstice, and sister of John Baker. They had one surviving child.