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Mr. Willem van Hogendorp, Resident
of Rembang, (1735-1789)
son of Mr. Diederik van Hogendorp
and Countess Catharina Wilhelmina van Hogendorp
Born 23 June 1735 Rotterdam
Died 1789 disappeared at sea
Married February 1760 Scheveningen
Carolina Wilhelmina van Haren
Born 25 April 1741 's-Gravenhage
Died 23 November 1812 's-Gravenhage
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Willem van Hogendorp was not very sensible so far as money was concerned.
Returning from Paris with enormous debts, he was regarded as fortunate
in being allowed to settle after coming into his paternal inheritance.
When he became engaged to Carolina van Haren, rumours about his future
father-in-law almost made him break with Carolina. However, they married
and contact with her father completely ceased for the rest of their lives.
Willem was a generous host who enjoyed
entertaining both in his house in Rotterdam as well as in their property,
Heenvliet. When Willem received a government appointment, they moved to
The Hague, where Carolina's beauty and poise made sufficient impression
to bring her to the attention of the Princess of
Orange.
The Seven Years' War brought speculation, and speculation bankruptcies.
Willem van Hogendorp was one of these. At first a relative tried to assist
but, when this proved fruitless, Willem decided to go to the East Indies,
expecting to make a new fortune. Not knowing anything about the East Indies,
and with disregard for the needs of the locals, his only intention was
to make money.
Before his departure, he was promised the well paid position of 'Resident'
of Rembang; and so it was decided that Carolina, and their six children,
would accompany him. However, when this became known to the Princess of
Orange, she offered assistance, paying for the
education of the two eldest sons. Other relatives then did the same
for the younger sons and, when the Prince of Orange paid Carolina an annuity,
she decided to remain in The Hague to supervise the education of their
two daughters, Antje and Truitje. In the spring of 1773 Willem departed
alone.
Being Resident of Rembang brought Willem enough money, helped by a
few small inheritances, to pay his debts. Indeed, he made so much money
that Carolina was able to buy a property, named 'Sion', close to Rijswijk.
After Rembang, Willem became administrator of "Onrust" in the bay of Batavia.
In March 1784, his eldest son, Dirk, came to the East Indies and was to
be the last of his family he would see.
After an absence of thirteen years, in July 1789 in Batavia, he boarded
the ship "Harmonie" to return to The Netherlands. However, when nothing
was heard of this ship, his family after two years acknowledged publicly
that they regarded him as having been shipwrecked and drowned.
Source: Leo van de Pas |
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