Adriaan Koek

Adriaan Koek (1759 -1824)

Adriaan Koek (the father-in-law of Petrus Johannes de Wit) was a prominent Dutch burgher then in Melaka. This is because Adriaan Koek was the brother-in-law of the Dutch governor Abraham Couperus (Governor of Melaka from 1788 - 1795). Koek was not a member of the Dutch administration but an independent burgher engaged in trade and shipping and owned considerable landed property in the vicinity of the Melaka town. When the British landed in Melaka in 1795 and established a bridgehead, it was on Koek's property in Banda Hilir. (Banda Hilir is now the heart of the town's new commercial center).

Adriaan Koek had built up such a wide network of trading connections in the Straits region that he had come to exercise a strong personal influence among several of the Malay rulers. He even succeeded in persuading Sultan Mahomed of Johor to appoint him as his agent with power of attorney to collect the tenth of the produce of all lands on the west coast of mainland Johor, from Batu Pahat and Padang (Parit Jawa) northward as far as the boundary with Melaka.

Adrian held the position of Supreme Koopman and was also Deputy Chief Accountant. He was from 1798 to 1818 member of Justice to Malacca and from 1812 to 1824 he also served as President of this Council. In addition, he was wealthy by virtue of his position as Supreme Merchant as well as a leading member of the Weeskamer there.