Dirk Cornelisz VERMEULEN * __.__. 1683, † Asia 02.06.1712. Dirk was employed by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as a cook. On 9 January 1704 he left Texel with the destination Ceylon on board De Zeehaan. During 1704 they landed in India. On 9 August 1705 Dirk landed at the Cape aboard De Zeehaan. Dirk stayed, against his will, in the Cape because he was too ill to continue sailing.
On 21 April 1709 he left on board the ship Limburg to Patria where they arrived on 10 August. It appears that he received his dismissal from the service of the VOC on 30 August 1709. Whether Dirk ever returned to the Cape, and if so, when, could not be determined.
When Dirk left the Netherlands on board De Zeehaan in 1704, he bequeathed to his wife, Antjen Pieters, three months of his annual salary. In the salary book of De Zeehaan for the period January 1709 to 30 August 1709 his wage is set out. It states the amount collected for Antjen Pieters. With the help of a researcher in the Netherlands, Anneke Landheer-Roelants, she found out details of the marriage between Dirk and Antjen PIETERS. (See further information in notes regarding his marriage to Antjen). Dirk's marriage in the Netherlands. Married in Enkhuizen, the Netherlands. 03.07.1695, Antjen PIETERS The following information was received from the Netherlands, compiled by a Dutch researcher, Anneke Landheer-Roelants: From the Westfries Archive in Hoorn. Marriage inscriptions 1689 - 1695: “Dirck Cornelisz, j.m. (living) on the Visschersdijk and Antjen Pieters, j.d. (living) on the Dijck. Married by Rev. Swalmius, July 3, 1695 ”.
It is also mentioned that on three occasions 100 gl was advanced for "transport" for one Maritjen Dirck. (The conclusion that is drawn is that it was Dirk's daughter.) Whether Dirk had meanwhile divorced his wife, Antjen Pieters, and what became of his daughter Maritjen, could not be determined. (We could not succeed in obtaining a baptismal registration in the Netherlands for Maritjen Dirck).
Dirk presumably married Jannetje Hansen during 1706. Dirk's presumed second marriage in Cape Town. (De Facto) __.__. 1706, Jannetje HANSE. (HANS or HANSEN) (It is not known where this marriage took place. No record of it could be found in the Cape archives.) In all probability a marriage between Dirk and Jannetje never took place. From the "marriage" or relationship between Dirk and Jannetje two children were born. These children stay behind in the Cape with their mother. From the V.O.C. registers show that Dirk died in Asia during 1712, possibly June 2, 1712. Details of his association with the V.O.C. is as follows: Personal data of Dirk Cornelisz VERMOOLEN. Origin: Enkhuizen Rank: Hoogbootmansmaat. Date of end of commitment: 02/06/1712 End of commitment: Deceased Place end of commitment: Asia. Details of the voyage: Ship: Raadhuis van Enkhuizen Inventory no. : 14663 Room: Enkhuizen Folio: 13 Departure: 18/05/1710 Destination: Batavia DAS - and travel no. : 2112.1 Arrival: 16/02/1711 Monthly Bulletin: Yes Debenture: No. Attempts to obtain an estate for Dirk in the Netherlands have so far not been successful.
The following information was obtained from a document compiled by Mansell G UPHAM, following his genealogical investigation into the origins of the Cape of Good Hope, born “mystical” woman, referred to as: Jannetje Hans, Jannetjie Hanse and Jannetje RUTGERTROOST. Documentary references to her, as appearing in the registers of the Cape Church (Die Grootte Kerk, Cape Town):
Who are the parents of the said Jannetje / Jannetie? The information indicates that she may have been the daughter of Hans Rutgert Trost, also known as Hans Rutgertroost, Rutgentroost and Rutgentrooster. Hans was a Cape free citizen from Erbervelt, Germany. He was a soldier in 1670 and later, in 1677, a free burgher in Stellenbosch. In 1687 the farm Weltevreden in Bottelary was promised to him and it was granted to him on 29 February 1692. Hans married on 3 February 1692 Aeghje Claesze Keizer (Keysers), from Rotterdam and the widow of Nicolaes (Nikolaas) van Breda. He died in 1716. Jannetje uses Hans' name as a patronymic, namely Hans en Hanse.
With the second baptism, mentioned above, Jannetje's surname is indicated as Rutgertroost. Circumstantial evidence suggests that Jannetje's mother may have been Mary of Bengal, who belonged to Anthonij Jansz de Later of Bengal. Mary of Bengal was also known as Mary of the Cust Malabar. Hans Rutgertroost also owned a slave girl named Mary of Bengal - she may be the same slave girl who used to belong to Anthony of Bengal? With the said Mary of Bengal, Hans had two sons, namely Hendrick and Carel, who were baptized November 2, 1687. He refers to them as; "In adultery with my former slave girl, now released, Mary of Bengal" In the 1690 return rolls a mention is made of a woman, "Mary v. (An) Malabar." The witnesses at the two VERMEULEN baptisms: 1. Klaas Bue and Anna Marij: Claus (Claas) Beu, (Beust), (Beusz), (Bue) and (Buis), from Aalst in Ditmarsh (Germany), are on 31 July 1707 married the freed slave girl, Anna Maria van de Caap. Anna Maria was baptized on December 13, 1705, with a daughter of hers, as a free slave girl. She is also referred to as Maria Dominicus - her presumed stepfather was therefore Domingo of Bengal - her mother, Maria of Bengal. Anna Maria was therefore possibly the half-sister of Jannetje Hans. Cornelis van der Laan and Elisabeth Marcusz: Maria, slave of Antonij van Bengale, baptized Elisabeth on 7 April 1680. Is she perhaps Elisabeth Marcusz? If so, she is also a possible half-sister of Jannetjie Hans. What became of Jannetje Hanse, after Dirk left the Cape and returned to the Netherlands, is unknown.
We thank Mansell Upham for permission to use information from his research document.
Dirk's descendants were initially cattle farmers and settled in the Northern Cape area (Colesberg). Descendants moved further to Victoria West, Carnarvon, Sutherland, Graaff-Reinet and Somerset East. In time, the Free State moved further to the Transvaal and the Onderland (Natal). After the Second World War, some of the returning soldiers received a right of residence in South West Africa (Namibia). There were also some of Dirk's descendants among those who received such a right of residence. Today, Dirk's descendants are spread all over South Africa, Botswana and Namibia and across all industries of the professional life / economy.
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