Nick Van Der Hoeven … with the highlights being the work of the Editor, Thuppahi
Before I discuss the incredible life of Hendrik Ambrosius Johnson, I just wanted to state that my interest in my Ceylonese genealogy was not deliberate, nor has it been a long -time passion. Quite the opposite. It was thrust upon me in fairly strange circumstances. Sitting at my work desk close to 20 years ago, then in my early 30’s with a young family, I decided to google ‘Sri Lankan Genealogy’.
Within 20 minutes I had met a second cousin (Kyle Joustra) and within 4 hours he had given me a 152-page Bloodline report outlining a staggering 22 generations dating back to medieval Brugge to a direct descendant born around 1270. Staggering. Not only did a line go back that far, the document contained pretty much all my direct grandparents going back at least 7 generations (or about 250 years). Again staggering. In that document, which I let sit in a filing cabinet for 15 years, there are over 1,800 relatives either direct or great uncles or aunts by blood or marriage.
To make things even crazier, most of the people had occupations listed and many had attached biographies. One of the earliest describes the life of my great pop x 21 in the early 1300’s and his life as the mayor of Brugge. Why do I explain this? I’m trying to explain why after 15-16 years I feel compelled to tell some of these stories. It’s like a gift that cannot be ignored. The stories of my ancestors (your ancestors) tell the story of a massive part of Sri Lankan History, good and bad.
Yes, it’s a story of colonisation, but it’s more than that. We over those centuries became part of Sri Lanka. Most of us have ‘native blood’ acknowledged or not. I know others have called us various things like ‘people inbetween’ and ‘the lost white tribe of SL’. Our history is fascinating – that’s what I reckon anyway. So, yes I am indulging in my genealogical roots. I take most of it with a grain of salt. How much can we actually know about a time so far back. I am having fun trying to imagine it…..
Case in Point – Hendrik Ambrosius Johnson, according to the database is one of my 10th generation grandparents. I never noticed Hendrik to be honest. He appears on page 82 and has no real biographical information. It wasn’t until I recently decided to read and reflect on every single relative (yes I have far too much spare time) that an aspect of his life stood out as unusual. This is what it says in the database
Date
‘’Hendrik Ambrosius Johnson was born in Oran. He died on 03 Dec 1781 in (Batavia) Indonesia. He married Clara Jacoba Lebeck.
Otherwise known as Hendrik Antony’’
Oran being the major city in Algeria North Africa. It does go on to say they had 4 children all born in Colombo. His son Abraham (were they Jewish?) was one of my 9th Gen grandfathers.
So, it got me thinking what was my pop doing in North Africa in the early 1700’s. Also his name. Johnson seems English but Hendrik and Ambrosius could be Dutch?
So, I did what any self-respecting person would do. I googled him. Bingo! 4th in line was a link to a report from the University of Leiden in the Netherlands and the report was titled
‘Masonic networks, material culture and international trade: the participation of Dutch Freemasons in the commercial and cultural exchange with Southeast Asia (1735-1853).’
Turns out old Hendrik was a Freemason and part of the lodge in Colombo. And incredibly this report had his biography. it states
‘’Hendrik Ambrosius Johnson (born Oran, Algeria 1743 / died 3-12-1781 Batavia), born from English parents and orphaned, sold as a slave in Algiers and cared for by the Dutch consul Paravinci, Hendrik Lijnslager and Ambrosius Staniford, after whom he was named; transferred to The Hague where his education was provided by the widow Tinne113; travelled as assistant 15-6-1761 on the ship Voorland to Batavia, arrival 23-3-1762; dispencer in Negapatnam 21-12-1762, junior merchant 28-5-1765, second warehouse master 14-3-1771, title of merchant and first warehouse master 28-4-1772, confirmed as such 20-10-1773; opperhoofd (Chief) of Palliacatta 11-5-1775; to Ternate awaiting employment 13-1-1778, fiscal and shopkeeper 6-11-1778; fiscal in Banda 8-2-1780;’’
Wow – what a find. There is so much to unpack here. For some reason my great grandparents x 11 (his parents) were making a living in Algeria in the 1700’s. Probably traders of some sort. They die (were they murdered) and then he was sold into white slavery as a child. It then appears the Dutch consul at the time noticed him and bought him out of slavery and found a rich benefactor in the widow Tinne to help pay his way through school and life. The widow Tinne, after some googling appears to have been married to a part of the royal family.
What a story of survival. It then also outlines an incredible career with VOC starting in South India and working his way up as a merchant (high title) and then Chief of Pulicat (pallicatta) and finally as fiscal of both Ternate and Banda. Fiscal was basically ‘the law’ of the town. He was in charge of keeping law and order and prosecuting the interests of the crown colony. Behind the chief probaby the 2nd or 3rd highest position in those lands. Ternate and Banda in what is now Indonesia were incredibly important spice islands during the colonial times….
I am exhausted just explaining this guy’s life. Imagine living it. At a time when the average life expectancy was mid 30’s and being a seaman probably mid 20’s due to loss of life at sea. He, great grandfather x 10, lived to the age of 37, again leaving behind 4 children.
I am glad I can bring his story to life 350 years later. Was he a good guy? Who knows? Did VOC have a chequered history in the colonies? Yes – especially in Indonesia. More to investigate. Who else has Hendrik Ambrosius Johnson in their lineage?
……………………………….. thanks for reading.
An Editorial NOTE …. Kyle Joustra resides in Melbourne and specializes in gathering and sustaining genealogical data on the Burghers of Ceilan and other Dutch and European ‘travellers’ of medieval times. He can be reached here =
