What makes a man go west? Just like his 3rd-great-grandfather, Bruno, Paul Zee was ready for adventure, and a new life. In 1907, at the age of 27, he and…
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The Belgian Campaign In 1831, Pieter was selected to join the Dutch Army, and joined the cavalry in a regiment called the Ligte Dragonders No. 5. The selection was a…
Cunera Janna van Alphen Janna van Alphen-Zee was my grandmother. Her parents were Willem van Alphen and Neeltje van den Brink. Willem took his mothers name (also Cunera Janna van…
Adventures in America Pieter Zee was an adventurer and pioneer. In many ways, the story of Peter Zee is the story of America itself. He left his native Holland in…
The VOC Ship Schoonenberg caught the first glimpse of African coastline on November 16th, 1722. Four days later, it would be wrecked at Cape Agulhas, as a dysfunctional crew and…
Looking for Anna Margaretha Meyer (Bruno’s Wife)and Hinrich Meyer (Bruno’s VOC shipmate) Anna Margaretha Meyer Baptism St. Petri Dom Bremen [May 2020, Die Maus] 09133 MEYER, BerendtGeboren: G 1672.Verbindung Kirchl.Heirat…
Before the departure of the Schoonenberg from Batavia, Albert van Soest was given Sailing Instructions. These pages detail the expectations of the company as to his performance of duties, and…
The ship was an institution afloat. It was designed to be independent. There was now a transfer, mentally, to being on land. The sea journey had come to an abrupt…
In the early hours of November 20, 1722, the VOC Retourschip Schoonenberg ran aground at Cape Agulhas, South Africa. The ship was on a return voyage to the Netherlands, under…
The Schoonenberg, also spelled “Schonenberg” and “Schonenbergh”, was a trading ship operated by the VOC between 1717 and 1722. The ship, a Spiegelretourschip[1] or Dutch East Indiaman, was damaged beyond repair in an accident at Struisbaai, South…
