Witt de, Derk

Captain Derk de Witt was born on 05 October 1865 in Farsum (near the town of Delfzijl) in the province of Groningen in the far north of the Netherlands. His father was also called Derk de Witt and was a sailing ship captain. His mothers name was Hendrika Bolhuis. Our Derk was given his name as a older brother with the same name has passed away at the age of two years in 1863. He had on older daughter and after there were two more brothers.

He came over from the company W. H Muller, when it sold its two ore carrying ships to Holland America.  The ss Blotberg and the ss Grangesberg. Holland America needed the ships to carry coal and grain from the USA to the Netherlands during the First World War, when due to its neutrality in the conflict it could not buy grain in Germany any longer.

He obtained first mates (= also captains) ticket on 11 Dec. 1891 and  married  Antje Groenewold (24 Feb. 1871 – 25 Oct. 1918 born at Woudsend) on 27 Sept, 1893 at Delfzijl. There were 5 daughters,

Henderika (24 September 1894) at Rotterdam

Sieberdina Reinderina (23 December 1897) at Rotterdam

Antina (14 October 1901) at Rotterdam

Derkelina (10 May 1904) at Rotterdam

Emma (18 May 1907) at Rotterdam  (c)

Until joining Holland America there is no trace of where he sailed. apart from coming over from Wh Muller.

He was with his ship in Puerto Rico on 16 March 1918 when the ship was confiscated  by the US Government for the war effort. He then sailed home with all the other captains and crews on board the ss Nieuw Amsterdam (I) and then had to wait at home until the ship was released. As far as the records tell, he did not have to sail to the USA to collect the ship,  as it was handed over to him & HAL on 19 May. 1919.

He sailed for Holland America for 10 years. Joined in 1916and retired in  November 1925  (upon reaching the compulsory retirement age of 60) and passed away on 04 January. 1928

Any relatives or anybody else who finds this website, if you can help with photos, family information, or anything else to create a more complete biography about the captain, please contact me on CaptAlbert1@aol.com. 

 

For the time being I can only publish his sailing list: (a)

Date:                    Function:                            Ship:                                    Wages                                                                                                                            and/or remarks.

13 May  1916      Captain                               Blommersdijk                    300,–

08 Sep.  1916      Temporary ashore

02 Nov.1916       Captain                               Beukelsdijk                           300,–

Due to confiscation of the Beukelsdijk returns with the ss Nieuw Amsterdam to Rotterdam and from

12 Apr.  1918      Temporary ashore waiting for assignment.

01 Aug. 1918      Wage increase                                                                       350,–

19 May. 1919     Captain                               Beukelsdijk                              350,–

01 Jul.    1919      Wage increase                                                                        625,–

06 Jan. 1920       Wage increase                                                                         650,–

15 Oct. 1920      Wage increase                                                                          675,–

22 Jul.    1921      Temporary ashore

10 Sep. 1921       Captain                               Ijseldijk                                        675,–

16 Oct. 1921      Wage increase                                                                           675,–

12 Jul.    1922      Captain                               Binnendijk                                  585,–

01 Nov. 1922      Temporary ashore

08 Nov. 1922      Captain                               Andijk                                             585,-

25 Apr. 1923      Temporary ashore

20 Nov. 1923      Captain                               Meerkerk                                     625,-

14 Apr.  1924      Captain                               Westerdijk                                  585,-

27 May 1925       Captain                               Bilderdijk                                     585,-

01 Nov. 1925      Ashore                                                                                            585,-

01 Jan.  1926      Put on standby money and deceased on 4 Jan. 1928

Sources:

(a) Hal Archives “stamboek” as held by the Municipel Archives of the City of Rotterdam

(b)  Captain Albert’s photo collection.

(c) Mrs. Noor Tania-Stein. Great Grand Daughter of daughter Antina.

Last Updated: 30 Aug. 2025.