Follow
Workshop around the origins of the Daughter of Jan van Groenewegen.
The original project question was... who was this daughter, and... who was her father Jan?
Still searching for her name, but her father's identity is basically solved.
- Alternative first name found for Jan (Joan, Johan) ... Jacob (same person, as they occupy the same positions at the same time.
NOTE (27/09/2014) - Most of the information below will be transferred to, and merged with the info on the Biography of Jan van Groenewegen project.... We will then re-focus this project on evidence c.q. possible theories around the identity of the daughter of Jan van Groenewegen.
Chronology of Dutch chiefs around Padang between +/-1650-1675
UPDATE (31/07/2013): Jan van Groenewegen is identified in Malacca as assistant buyer in 1645. He was sent by the VOC into the region as of 1637. (This puts his date of birth no later than circa 1620)
Jan/Jacob van Groenewegen seems to have occupied the following posts...
- Chief (opperhoofd) of Aceh from about 27 october 1659, when a trade agreement was concluded with the queen of Aceh. The agreement was negotiated by commissar Jacob de Keyzer and van Groenewegen. In 1660, Balthazar Bort joined Aceh as commissar.
- Chief of the trading post of Kotatengah. This was the oldest trading post of the Dutch. Was van Groenwegen sent from Aceh to Kotatengah (and was he relieved from his position at Aceh. He was replaced in both positions in 1665 - by Jacob Gruys in Aceh (or perhaps earlier by someone else, perhaps simply Balthazar Bort?) and Henrik Marschalck at Kotatengah.
Note: At Kotatengah, the local chief Seri Radja Hulubalang was in constant conflict with the Dutch. He fled to Oelakan in 1669. Is there a relationship between van Groenewegen and this chief?
"Daghregisters" of Jan van Groenewegen
More clues to he story of Jan van Groenwegen could be found in his "daghregisters" - the journals that he had to submit to his superiors (at Batavia). From the Tanap database of VOC documents, we can gather that the following journals exist from his time in Western Sumatra...
- Year 1662 : Copie van de dagelijcxe aenteeckeninge van de coopman Jan van Groenewegen sedert 2 Maij 1662 tot den 4 November des selve jaers aen haer Eds. tot Batavia toegesonden. (Jan van Groenewegen's notes between May 2, 1662 and November 4, 1662)
- Year 1663 : Daghregister van de Sumatra's Westcust op het eijland Poulo Chinco gehouden bij den coopman Joan Groenwegen over het notabelste aldaer voorgevallen beginnende den 26 Maart en eijndicht den 8 Augustij 1663. (notes from the island Poulo Chinco, between March 26, 1663 and August 8, 1663)
- note... On July 6, 1663, Padang signed "een accord ende eeuwig verbont" in Batavia (source: 'daghregister').
- Information from this daghregister can be founded starting page 81 on this Serajah Musantara link...
- Year 1663 : Vervolch daghregister van de Sumatra's Westcust op het eijland Poulo Chinco gehouden bij den coopman Joan Groenwegen over het notabelste aldaer voorgevallen beginnende den 14 December 1663 en eijndigcht den 8 Februarij 1664. (follow-up on the previous journal, covering December 14, 1663 til February 8, 1664)
- Year 1663 : Journael gehouden bij den coopman Jan Groenewegen van 't voorgevallene op de Westcust van Sumatra van den 28 Julij tot den 14 December 1663. (Notes from the western coast of Sumatra, between July 28, 1663 and December 14, 1663)
The following is his report about special missions...
- Dagelijksche aanteeckeninge van 't gene door den coopman Joan van Groenewegen ter ordre van d'Ed. heer Joan Maetsuijcker gouverneur generael ende d'Ed. heeren raaden van India, op de Soumatraanse Westcust met de principaelste hoofden en regeerders van Songeij, Pageuw, Padangh, Tico en andere bondgenooten gebesongneert, provisioneel beslooten en gecontracteert is, gedateerd 18 Februarij 1663. (Report from February 18, 1663, about his specific initiatives and agreements with local chiefs)
And, a range of letters and written instructions between Jan van Groenewegen and the government in Batavia...
- 1659 : Missive door den coopman Joan Groenewegen aen gouverneur generael Joan Maetsuijcker en de heeren raden van Indien op Batavia geschreven, Atchin 9 December 1659.
- 1659 : Missive door den coopman Joan Groenewegen aen gouverneur generael Joan Maetsuijcker en de heeren raden van Indien op Batavia geschreven, Atchin 23 December 1659.
- 1660 : Missive door den coopman Joan Groenewegen aen gouverneur generael Joan Maetsuijcker en de heeren raden van Indien op Batavia geschreven, Atchin 28 Januarij anno 1660.
- 1663 : Copie missive door den coopman Jan van Groenewegen aen haer Eds. tot Batavia geschreven in dato 24 Februarij 1663.
- 1663 : Copie missive van den coopman Jan Groenewegen aen den gouverneur generael en de raden van Indien geschreven den 14 December 1663 op Poulochinco. (letter during a military expedition)
- 1664 : Missive van den coopman Joan Groenewegen en raad op het eiland Poulo Chinco aen den gouverneur generaal Joan Maetsuijcker ende raden van India in dato 8 Februarij 1664.
- 1664 : Missive van den coopman Joan Groenewegen en raad op het eiland Poulo Chinco aen den gouverneur generaal Joan Maetsuijcker ende raden van India in dato 8 Februarij 1664.
- 1665 : Missive van seigneur Joan Groenewegen aen haer Eds. tot Batavia in dato 2 Januarij 1665.
- 1665 : Missive van seigneur Groenewegen aen haer Eds. 2 Augustus 1665.
- 1665 : Missive van seigneur Groenewegen aen haer Eds. ultimo Februarij 1665.
- 1665 : Missive van seigneur Groenewegen en raedt aen haer Eds. 18 October 1665.
Contracts...
- 1663 : Copie van contract door den coopman Jan van Groenewegen op approbatie van haer Eds. tot Batavia aengegaan in dato 18 Februarij 1663.
Some sources for further exploration...
... including information about colonial Sumatra.
- Oud en Nieuw Oost Indiën, vervattende een naaukeurige en uitvoerige verhandelinge van Nederlands mogentheyd in die gewesten, by François Valentijn
- De vestiging en uitbreiding der Nederlanders ter westkust van Sumatra, by H. de Stuers
- Bijdragen tot de kennis van Sumatra, by Salomon Müller