Frederik Otto Scheel

{{Short description|Norwegian military officer (1748–1803)}}

{{Use dmy dates |date=December 2023}}

Frederik Otto Scheel (15 July 1748 – 22 May 1803) was a Norwegian military officer and civil servant. {{Cite encyclopedia |title=Frederik Otto Scheel |encyclopedia=Store norske leksikon |publisher=Norsk nettleksikon |location=Oslo |url=http://www.snl.no/Frederik_Otto_Scheel |accessdate=12 June 2012 |last=Arntzen |first=Jon Gunnar |editor-last=Godal |editor-first=Anne Marit |editor-link=Anne Marit Godal |language=Norwegian}}

He was born in Christiania (now Oslo), Norway. He belonged to a noble family with strong military traditions. He was the son of Major General Hans Jacob Scheel (1714–74) and Catharine Christine Brügman (1725-1800).{{Cite web |last=Jon Gunnar Arntzen |title=Scheel |url=https://snl.no/Scheel |access-date=2016-08-01 |publisher=Store norske leksikon}}

He served from 1762 to 1769 with the Sønnafjelske Dragonregiment and then with the Søndenfjelske Gevorbne Infanteriregiment. He served as County Governor of Stavanger Amt (now Rogaland county) from 1785 to 1799, and is particularly remembered for his contribution to road construction in the district. His efforts expanded the royal road from Stavanger and Jæren.

Scheel had six children with his wife, Dorthe Falk Dedekam (1769-1796) who came from a merchant family in Arendal. He was the father of military officer and weapon designer Frederik Wilhelm Scheel (1795-1870). He died at Stavanger in 1803.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Frederik Otto Scheel |encyclopedia=Norsk biografisk leksikon |publisher=Kunnskapsforlaget |location=Oslo |url=http://www.snl.no/.nbl_biografi/Frederik_Otto_Scheel/utdypning |accessdate=12 June 2012 |last=Bratberg |first=Terje |editor-last=Helle, Knut |language=Norwegian}}