Did Van Dorts' emigrate to Singapore?

Having set up the Van Dort Genealogy over the past three consecutive days, there were two Van Dort persons on record who left Ceylon and reached Singapore. Unfortunately the mention of them being in Singapore does not give enough "meat" to work on further.

The two persons who were connected to Singapore are:

1. Claude Vivian Van Dort

He married Eveleen Murial Jansz at St. Andrew's Cathedral on May 26, 1922. Now that's really
not in ancient times. 

Claude Vivian comes from the same root of Dr. William Gregory Van Dort. Claude It is the same family tree of Lewellyn Van Dort who is the third immigrant to British Malaya.
 
There is no record of Mr. & Mrs Claude V. Van Dort having children.

2. Arthur Henry Van Dort

There is no mention of him marrying. He was born on Sept23, 1847. The records merely states, "Died in Singapore."

What is interesting is that Arthur Henry comes from the root of Adriaan Van Dort. It is the same family tree of Richard William Van Dort who is the newly discovered fourth immigrant to British Malaya.

There is no record of Arthur Henry's marriage.

We have a lot to thank TribalPages for without their powerful Genealogy Program, it would have demanded a lot of time to arrive at these relationship connections.

IF there ever comes a time that the Van Dorts' were to emigrate to Outer Space, please Van Dorts' all, leave full and complete family data in their new Outer Space Colony. As it is on Earth, even though there are records, the records however fall short of one thing or another.

E & OE

Who are the Burghers?

With the passage of time, the term "Burgher" has disappeared. It is regarded as something of the past and by now it is almost forgotten. Transnational migration of the Burghers have eclipsed this ethnic minority.

The Van Dort families in Malaysia are of Dutch Burgher origins. It is well over 300 years since their Dutch Burgher commune began. Today, the remaining Dutch Burghers are few and ageing on the island of Sri Lanka. In fact, the Burghers in Sri Lanka are an endangered minority of 
mankind.

However, beyond the shores of Sri Lanka, the term Burgher is largely unknown, even amongst the younger generation of Burgher families. It would most certainly be greeted with a puzzled look if the matter of Burgher is mentioned.
  
Who are the Burghers?

Here is a recommended reading material on "Who are the Burghers" The website link is:
http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Burgher-people

In a book titled "Burghers" authored by J.B. MULLER, there is this description:

The Burghers have given Sri Lanka some of its finest intellectuals, poets, painters, writers, musicians, engineers, judges, doctors, police and armed services officers and public administrators and legislators, apart from being naturally gifted artisans, technicians and mechanics. They remain a proud people with a great feel for life and an abiding love for their country.

E & OE

Mr. Paul Murray

I had a conversation with Mr. Paul Murray who is a cousin of mine. He is back at his Dad's home in Mersing which is located on the south eastern coastline of Penisula Malaysia. I learned that his Dad is not in good health and that Paul has requested the Catholic Priest to administer the Last Rites for his Dad.

I know his Dad, Mr. Francis Murray. He married Fay Van Dort who is my Aunt. Theirs is a large family of over 10 children. Paul Murray will meet me soon to discuss old times and during which time I shall be able to get more data on his family to update the Genealogy Charts.

Mr. Francis Murray must be nearing 100 years old by now if not slightly past 100. He used to write me letters until it was no longer possible for him. I have driven to meet him in Mersing. Such a kind and soft spoken man who is a devout Catholic.

During his better health years Mr. Francis Murray never failed to invite me to join his family reunion for Christmas eve in Mersing. Unfortunately, I was never able to make the long journey to share the moment with him and his family.

I look forward now to meeting Mr. Paul Murray.

God speed to you Mr. Francis Murray in what ails your physical condition.

Dutch Coat of Arms for Van Dort

The Dutch Coat of Arms for family Van Dort

Listed at this website is over a million Coat of Arms for Dutch family names. URL reference :
http://www.4crests.com/dutch-family-coats-of-arms-dutch-crests.html

It took a long while to download the full page of all the Coat of Arms, with "V" being at the rear end of the Alphabetical order. Dutch Family Coats of Arms or  Dutch Crests or Heralds as one may wish to address them, it is obviously clear that to the Dutch it is a very significant aspect of their family tradition.

The Coat of Arms bears similarity to what the monogram means to the Chinese for their family name. The Chinese monogram which is a calligraphic stamp of the Chinese name is not as colorful and artistic as the Coat of Arms.

E & OE

Did Willem Van Dort marry a Kandian Princess?

There is no records that would conclusively prove there being any truth in what my Grandfather, Aelian Van Dort mentioned about his parents background. His father, Willem Van Dort is said to have married the daughter of a deposed King of Kandy. Her name is Christine Botaju.

In trying to establish a corresponding time chart to at the least see if at all, such a claim is possible, I have perused several accounts of the Kandian History that was contemporary of Willem Van Dort’s life period.

Willem's known biodata

Willem Van Dort was born on 14-Mar-1833, died: ? unspecified/unrecorded.

Willem's first child , William was born in 1856. Hence Willem fathered his first born at around the age of 23.

My Grandpa Aelian the last of his children was born on 13-Aug-1880. That would indicate that Willem was 47 years old at Grandpa's birth.

Kandian Kings

Kandy Independence from foreign rule (1591-1815)

Vimala Dharma Surya I (1591-1604)
Senarat (1604-1635)
Rajasinha (1635-1687)
Vimala Dharma Surya II (1687-1707)
Narendra Sinha (1707-1739)
Sri Vijaya Rajasinha (1739-1747)
Kirti Sri Rajasinha (1747-1763)
To the Netherlands (1763)
Kirti Sri Rajasinha (restored) (1763-1782)
Rajadhi Rajasinha (1782-1798)
Sri Vikrama Rajasinha (1798-1815)

Brief Kandian Royal History

The Kandyan kingdom comprising the highlands of Lanka was ruled by a native king throughout its long period beginning from the Sinhalese dynasty namely from 543 BC up to 1815 AD exactly 2358 years.

On 15th February 1796 the British conquered the Maritime Provinces from the Dutch, who conceded power without much fighting.

On September, 20 1804 Capt. Johnston set out from Batticaloa with a military column of 200 troops and reached Kandy on 6th Oct. 1804. There he burned the Palace of Kundasale.

Governor North realised that although the British were well organised and well trained in the art of war the Kandyans were well fortified by their natural defences. The Kingdom was a country of forests, high mountains, rocks and rivers which barred attempts at invasion of the Kandyan Kingdom for centuries.

The jealousies and rivalries among Sinhalese Chiefs kept the Nayakkars in power. Pilimatalauwe, the most powerful Chief plotted against the cruel and despotic King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe and brought about a war between the British and the Kandyan Kingdom. The opportunity to declare war against the Kandyan Kingdom arose when a number of Muslim Traders from the Maritime provinces who had come to barter their ware were brutally treated as spies, beaten up and mutilated before they were sent back empty handed. At the same time Kandyan villagers had set fire to a village under the British.

The British started to make extensive preparations for the invasion of the King’s dominion with the assistance of Ehelepola. The principal reasons stated for the invasion were the alleged tyranny of the king and his unwillingness to enter into any terms with the British.

The king, finding the situation hopeless, abandoned the capital and fled to Medamaha-Nuwara, where he took refuge in a house of a peasant. King Sri Vikrama Raja Singha was captured and taken prisoner with his Queen Venkata angammal.

On Mar 2, 1815, Lanka was ceded to the British under a treaty called the Kandyan Convention. With Sri Vikrama Raja Singha ended, not only the last vestige of national freedom but also a civilization based on an entire and unique ethno-religious social philosophy, which our forefathers, with their toil, sweat, blood, and tears, had protected for 2,358 years. The downfall of the Sinhala Kingdom was mainly caused by the disunity of the people themselves. The Lion Flag which King Vijaya had planted in 544 BC was finally handed down.

The King was taken to Colombo on Mar 6, 1815, where he remained until Jan 24, 1816, when he and all his relatives, dependents, and adherents, amounting about 100 individuals, were transferred to India. They were first sent to Madras and finally to the fort of Vellore, where Sri Vikrama Raja Sinha died of dropsy on Jan 30, 1832, aged 52 years. The ex-king’s body was cremated and ashes were floated down the river. The king had ruled for seventeen years.

The fall of the Kandyan Kingdom on the signing of the Convention on 2nd March 1815 completely erased the last lingering vestiges of Sinhalese Sovereignty which the Kandyan chiefs never dreamt of taking place.

The only case of an indigenous kinglet was the fate of the (Ceylonese) King of Kandy: after British forces finally defeated him in 1815, he and his entourage were wisked off to Vellore, Tamil Nadu, where he basically lived out the rest of his life in relative obscurity on a government pension.

In another passage about King Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, after he was captured, Sir John D'Oyly, who was appointed Resident of the newly acquired Kandyan Province on 2nd March 1815 had this to relate:  

After his capture king Sri Wickremarajasinghe had been greatly agitated fearing for his life and about the disgrace and abuse that may be caused to his queens and other young ladies of the royal family. This morning the king again desired to see me and formally presented to me his mother and his 4 queens, and successively placing their hands in mine, committed them to my charge and protection.

These female relatives who have no participation in his crimes, are certainly deserving of our commiseration and particularly the aged mother who appears inconsolable, and I hear she has been almost constantly in tears since the captivity of her son.

They had been alarmed by idle reports amongst other things that violent measures would be adopted against the king and his relatives subjected to disgrace and ill-treatment.

I ventured to assure them of their personal protection under Your Excellency's government and that no outrage would be committed against the life or person of the king.

The last King of Kandy was removed of all his power in 1815. Willem Van Dort was born in 1833. That denotes an interval of 18 years from the last King till the time that Willem was born.

At the age of 23 in 1856, Willem had his first child. The difference in years between 1856 and 1815 is 41 years.

The time frame supports the probability that the last Kandian King, Sri Vikrama Rajasinha, although he was deposed and exiled by the British in 1815, he could have fathered more children preceding Willem's year of birth in 1833 or soon after 1833. There could possibly have been a girl child from his Royal family at a marriagble age for Willem.

Understandably, all the above is mere conjecture and there is no evidence to support. It may be argued that whatever my Grandfather about his mother being a Princess could be mere coincidence against history's time frame.

Separately, I have held discussions with Sri Lankan friends about this. They inform me that the name Boteju/Botaju is not a Royal Ceylonese name. It is possible that she
could have changed her royal family name in order to avoid being identified with her 
despotic and cruel King father amongst the natives as well as the British colonial masters.

Furthermore, they also advised me that in lieu of the protracted ethnic strife in Sri Lanka, no Sri Lankan would support anyone making claims or enquiring into the past Royal connections simply because towards the end of the Sri Lankan History of Kings and Queens, they were not of Ceylon citizenry but were from Southern India who wrested control in Ceylon and rose from regional chieftains to become Kings or Queens.

E & OE

About my Grand Uncle, Augustus Van Dort

I know very little about my Grand Uncle Agustus who was the elder brother to my Grandpa. Agustus was married to Daisy VanderWalle (sp!) and they had four children. Two daughters, Mavis and Joan. And two sons, Frederick and Llyod. Mavis died at an early age from a ruptured appendix.

Aunt Daisy was a most wonderful person. Soft spoken and a marvellous cook. She would often be humming Church hymns and even whistled on occasion. Aunt Daisy loved to tell short stories and was a truly kind hearted woman. She told me that the family lost their father during the Japanese Occupation of Malaya.

On that fateful day, Japanese soldiers appeared at their home in Taiping which is situated in the northern state of Perak in Malaysia. They left the house with Agustus Van Dort and he never returned home ever. What was his fate is based on a few eye witnesses at that particular period. It is said that along with several other male prisoners, the Japanese soldiers escorted them into the hill jungles and killed them in cold blood.

It is most unfortunate that I never had the opportunity to meet Grand Uncle Augustus. Aunt Daisy used to relate that he was a very strict person with a thunderous voice. I have seen photographs of him. He had a good body build and even the manner in which he sat to pose for the photograph matched the description given by his wife.

O & OE

About my Grandfather Aelian Van Dort

I recall a few of the stories that my grandfather, Aelian Van Dort related to me about his family and the years that he lived in Ceylon. He was born in Badulla in 1880. His father Willem Van Dort married a princess of a deposed King of Kandy. Her name was Christine Botaju.

They had a large family of 14 children. Grandpa did mention that there were infant mortality at child birth in his family. I am unable to say with any certainty whether the 14 children included or excluded those child birth mortalities and how many.

His father Willem Van Dort was of a large physical build and was fair skinned. Grandpa once showed me a photograph taken of him posing for a snap shot as he sat on the grass. Indeed he looked physically big. Unfortunately, I was not given that photograph of gread grand dad Willem.
Grandpa said that his father worked as a Judge at the Court of Justice in Kandy.

His mother Christine Botaju was described as a very temperemental woman who struck fear within the family. It probably had something to do with her royal background.

He often reminisced about the beauty of Badulla where he was born. Badulla is nestled in the central hills of Ceylon where tea plantations abound. The climate must have been great. Perhaps grandpa's chronic ailment of Asthma was due to cool and damp hilly Badullan climate; just a guess.

It is interesting to see from the map where Patriarch Cornelius Jansz Van Dort first arrived in Ceylon at Galle in 1700. In a span of 180 years later, grandpa was born further inland at Badulla. The Van Dorts are very nomadic.

I am unsure who came first to British Malaya. Was it his brother Augustus or grandpa? Or did they emigrate together? They also had two of their sisters who came to British Malaya. Their sisters were Eva and Augusta.

As a boy, I met grand aunt Augusta several times. She was fair skinned and was very talented in oil painting. She loved eating preserved ginger. Both sisters remained spinsters till their end. Grand aunt Augusta lived together with Michael Spittel who is related to the Van Dorts. I never met Grand aunt Eva.

Grandpa Aelian was an amazing mathematician. During his working years in British Malaya, he self taught himself and became an Architect. He self studied from books that he bought by mail order from England.

During his service with the British, he designed and built several landmark buildings and bridges throughout the country. He became a convert to the Roman Catholic Church and did several charities for the Catholic Missionaries, particularly for the Sisters of the Holy Infant Jesus. He was the Architect for several Convent Schools for these Sisters. The Convent School in Johor Bahru 
and in Singapore were designed by grandpa. The last charity that he did was to draw the building plans for the new Church of Saint Anne in Bukit Mertajam, Penang.

I remember grandpa telling me that he designed a bridge in Morib, Selangor, the main platform of the Railway Station in Kuala Lumpur and the Railway Station in Johor Bahru, Johor.

Grandpa always loved handing candy to children even though he was a stern looking man and he probably took after his mother because he had such a fiery temper. Such was his no nonsense attitude that made him walk to the Catholic priest's office immediately after Church service to speak his mind about something that he found not acceptable in the priest's sermon from the pulpit.

Grandpa passed away at 87. His zest for life motivated him to undergo cataract operation which was the cause of his death. The operation took its toll over his weakened body and he died at the General Hospital while still recuperating. I tried to dissuade him from that surgery but grandpa insisted - he said to me that it is useless for him to live without having sight as his cataract was rapidly worsening.

Abba (that was his home name), I miss you very much. You were everything to me and you were everything that I had. I love you dearly.

E & OE

A New Malaysian Van Dort family addition

With my random research, mostly through the Internet, I cam across a Post submitted by David Stanislaus Van Dort at Ms. Mascha's Guest Book. David is from Kuala Lumputer and fortunately he left his email address and some particulars about his family background.

Two weeks ago, I found his daughter, Marie-Jeanne's "Friendship Blog" listed on the Internet but I could not go further as Marie-Jeanne has secured her Blog for only her friends.

I have sent David an email providing him the details of his ancestry. It is not surprising that he is a descendant of the Patriarch, Cornelius Jansz Van Dort. I still need David to provide me with more details.

At the moment, David's forefathers is explained as follows:

1. David's father Richard Van Dort is the son of Richard Alexander Van Dort.

2. Richard Alexander Van Dort had 12 children by
marriage. He is the son of John William Van Dort.

3. John William Van Dort had 3 children. He is the son
of Justinan Arnoldus Van Dort.

4. Justinan Arnoldus Van Dort had 6 children. He is
the son of Adriaan Van Dort.

5. Adriaan Van Dort had 10 childen. He is the son of
Petrus Van Dort.

6. Petrus Van Dort had 11 children. He is the son of
the Patriarch, Cornelius Jansz Van Dort who emigrated
from the Netherland to Ceylon in 1700.

This means tat there are "unknown" and unrecorded Dutch Burgher Van Dorts from Ceylon
who have emigrated to British Malaya. If the research that I did with the help of David's Post
and Mr. Fazli Sameer's detailed Van Dort Genealogy, proves to be correct, it is tenable that Richard William Van Dort is the fourth and new addition to the other three known Dutch Burgher emigrants to Malaysia. The other three being Augustus, Aelian and Lewellyn Van Dort.

How am I related to David Stanislaus Van Dort?

I traced the roots and the Genealogy records point to the following:

1. David Stanislaus Van Dort is a 6th generation (inclusive) from the family house of Adriaan
Van Dort, the son of Petrus Van Dort.

2. I am also a 6th generation (inclusive) from the family house of Leonard 
Van Dort, the son of Petrus Van Dort.

And Petrus Van Dort was one of 5 children of the Patriarch, Cornelius Jansz Van Dort.

Honestly, the geometric progression that affects genealogy makes it next to impossible to
classify in what mode is David and I related. Definitely we are cousins by family blood.

While I am still on this new discovery, I wish to add another separate discovery. It concerns a
Ms. Suzanne Van Dort who lectures Art at the International School in Kuala Lumpur. I sent an email to the School's Head, requesting him to notify Ms. Suzanne about this Blog and my
intentions to get her family background. The Head has confirmed that he would notify
Ms. Suzanne and that it is up to her if she wished to pursue further with me.

I hope to hear from Ms. Suzanne.

E & OE

About the Dutch Burghers

It would indeed be of noteworthy interest to know something about the Dutch Burghers. In this instance, the descendants of Patriarch Cornelius Jansz Van Dort in Ceylon and thereafter the Van Dorts who emigrated from Ceylon were classified by race as Dutch Burghers.

This text is taken in its entirety from Marco Ramerini who wrote about the Burghers in Ceylon.

"Under the command of Admiral Joris Van Spilbergen, on the 31 May 1602, the first Dutch ships that visited Ceylon anchored off the port of Batticaloa.

THE BURGHERS:

The Portuguese were from the beginning (Afonso de Albuquerque) the first to experiment a colonisation based on colonies of Portuguese citizens "casados". Since the Portuguese women were few, mixed marriages were encouraged between the Portuguese and the Asians. Albuquerque tried to create a new Portuguese nation in Asia to make up for the lack of people from Portugal.

This method of settlement was extremely successful. In fact, after a century of this colonisation, in practically every outpost of the empire, there were colonies of mixed Portuguese, that spoke Portuguese, were catholic and were better suited to the tropical climates than the European-born Portuguese. Thanks to this strategy, the Portuguese succeeded in withstanding the siege of the Dutch in Ceylon for nearly 60 years.

After their conquest, the Dutch also attempted to found some colonies of Dutch citizens dubbed "Burgher". This was attempted particularly first under Maetsuyker (governor from 1646 to 1650), but at the end of his government and later under Van Goens (governor from 1662-1663 and 1665-1675), there were only 68 married free-Burghers on the island. Such policy was clearly a failure as only a few Dutch families settled on the island. In the first 30 years of Dutch rule in Ceylon, the Burgher community never exceeded 500 in number and it was mainly composed by sailors, clerks, tavern-keepers and discharged soldiers.
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) to support this emigration facilitated in any case the Burgher.

Burghers alone had the privilege to keep shops, were given liberal grants of land with the right of free trade. Whenever possible they were preferred to natives for appointment to office. Only Burghers had the right of baking bread, butchering and shoemaking. Most of them were civil servants of the Company.
The marriage between a Burgher and a native woman (often an Indo-Portuguese woman) was permitted only if she professed the Christian religion. However, the daughters of this union had to be married to a Dutchman. Like Van Goens said: "… so that our race may degenerate as little as possible".

In the XVIII century a growing European community (a mixture of Portuguese, Dutch, Sinhalese and Tamil) had developed in Ceylon. They dressed European, were adherents to the Dutch Reformed Church and spoke Dutch or Portuguese.
With the passing of time, the Burgher community developed into two different communities: Dutch Burghers and Portuguese Burghers.
The Dutch Burghers were those who could demonstrate European ancestry (Dutch or Portuguese) through the male line, were white, Dutch reformed and Dutch speaking.
The Portuguese Burghers (called later Mechanics) were those who had a supposed (but not sure) European ancestry, had dark skin, were Catholics and spoke Creole Portuguese.
The European community produced all the priests (Predikants) of the Dutch Reformed Church.
In the last decades of Dutch rule in the island, the Burgher formed a detachment of citizen soldiers. They defended the ramparts of Colombo during the fourth Anglo-Dutch war.
Although there aren’t demographic studies available on the Burgher community in Ceylon, during the Dutch period it is clear that the growth of the community was constant. A small, but steady, influx of newcomers from Europe mixed with the families, which had settled on the island for generations. Thanks to this, the Burgher community was able to retain its open character and the heterogeneous cultural traditions.

At the time of the British conquest, in 1796, there were about 900 families of Dutch Burghers residing in Ceylon, concentrated in Colombo, Galle, Matara and Jaffna.

During the British times the Burghers were employed in the Colonial administration like clerks, lawyers, soldiers, physicians, and were a privileged class on the island.

The Dutch Burghers, now under the British, quickly abandoned the use of the Dutch language and adopted English as their own language. By 1860, the use of Dutch among the Dutch
Burghers had disappeared. In 1908, only six or eight Dutch Burghers could make any pretence to knowledge of the Dutch language.

The Creole Portuguese continued to be used amongst the Dutch Burghers families as the colloquial language until the end of XIX century.

In 1899 the Dutch Burgher community formed the "De Hollandsche Vereeninging" and later, in 1907, they founded the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon.

The Dutch Burgher community had its own journal from 31 March 1908 to 1968 (58 numbers), the Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon. No volumes were published between 1968 and 1981, mostly due to the exodus of the Dutch Burghers, now the Journal continues to be published annually.

By the end of the British rule the Dutch Burgher community had lost its influence and privileges, and many Burghers emigrated to Australia and to Canada, especially after the declaration of Sinhala as the official language (1961) of the country by Solomon Bandaranaike.

In spite of this, the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon is still in existence in Colombo to this day.
The Dutch Reformed Church is now called Presbytery of Ceylon, at present the membership are 5.000, in the whole island are 24 the congregrations and 18 the ministry workers. During the last 40 years the Church has lost much of her leadership and membership due to the mass emigration of the Dutch Burgher community.

These are some of the usual surnames in the Dutch Burgher community:
Andriesz, Anthonisz, Antonisse, Arndt, Bagot Villiers, Baldesinger, Bartholomeusz, Beekmun, Beven, Brohier, Claasz, Crozier, Da Silva, Daniels, de Hoedt, de Kretser, De Zilwa, Deutrom, Ebert, Engelbrecht, Foenander, Frugtniet, Hepponstall, Herft, Jansz, Joseph, Keegal, Kelaart, Landsberger, Loos, Lourensz, Martinus, Melder, Meynert, Milhuisen, Neydorff, Passe, Peiris, Philipsz, Prins, Scharenguivel, Scharff, Spittel, van Arkadie, van Cuylenburg (Culenberg), van Dersil, van der Straaten, van Dort, van Hoff, Van Langenberg, Van Rooyen, Vander Gucht, Werkmester, Wille, Willenberg."

Roots of Van Dort Series Part VII

Is there any information about the origins of the Utrecht Van Dort family?

The Patriarch, Cornelius Jansz Van Dort birth location is Utrecht. He lived there until he sailed to Ceylon in 1700.

Ms. Mascha Van Dort reports as follows:

"The Utrecht family - Background of the family van Dort from Utrecht
According to Hanneke van Dort people from Utrecht origin from a "dorpsomroeper" or herald named Cornelis van Dort. The family lived in Utrecht already in 1700, because Cornelis Jansze van Dort left Utrecht in 1700 to ship for Sri Lanka with the VOC.

In the 18th and 19th century Utrecht lived David and Jan Jurriaan van Dort, who were silver an gold smiths. At least one was quite known because some of his work can be found in the museum of Utrecht or Nieuwegein (next to Utrecht)."

Just how many and how far from its origin has the diaspora of the families Van Dort fanned out?

Again, from the works of Ms. Mascha Van Dort, she reports of families Van Dort being at these locations and in these countries:

1 The Bergen op Zoom family
Background of the family van Dort from Bergen op Zoom

2 The Beemster family
Background of the family van Dort from the Beemster

3 The Delft & Rijswijk family
Background of the family van Dort from Delft and Rijswijk

4 The Muiden and Amsterdam family van Dort
Background about the family van Dort from Amsterdam and Muiden

5 The Utrecht family
Background of the family van Dort from Utrecht

6 The Gorinchem and The Hague family
Background on the family van Dort of The Hague and Gorinchem

7 The Zwolle and Arnhem family
Background on the family van Dorth from Zwolle and Arnhem

8 The Srilankan families
Background of the Sri Lankan families van Dort and Van Dort

9 The families van Dort of the USA
Background on the families van Dort of the USA

10 The Belgian family
Background on the families van Dort from Belgium

11 Tha Australian families
Background of the families van Dort from Australia

12 The brazilian families
Background on the family Dortas from Brazil

13 The Canadian family
Background of the families van Dort from Canada

14 The Malaysian family
Background of the family Van Dort from Malaysia

Her account by today's is probably a tad outdated through no misrporting of Ms.Mascha. 
There have been newer and additional Van Dort movements that is known to Austria and England. There is also a Van Dort who lives in Sabah (North Borneo) which although is a state in Malaysia but Sabah is a good distance from the Malaysian peninsula. There is evidence of Van Dort who married in Singapore and thereby lived in Singapore too.

The transmigration of the families Van Dort is mind boggling to say the least.

E & OE

Roots of Van Dort Series Part VI

And what about Dordecht? The surname of families Van Dort owes their family name because it means that they are descendants from Dordecht.

Dordrecht is described as the oldest city of Holland. Dordrecht is situated on the left bank of the Maas (Meuse) River, at the point where a long arm of the North Sea cuts deeply into the Dutch coastline. DORDRECHT is a town with about 119.000 people near ROTTERDAM, funded on an island surrounded by 4 rivers (DORDTSE KIL, HOLLAND'S DIEP, NIEUWE MERWEDE and OUDE MAAS) with 1,000 buildings older then 300 years, with idyllic old harbors and canals, so a wonderful city to work and live in.

Dordrecht, also called DORT, OR DORDT, gemeente (commune), Zuid-Holland province, south-western Netherlands, at the divergence of the Merwede, Noord, Oude Maas (Old Meuse), and Dordtse Kil rivers. Founded in 1008, it was the residence of the Counts of Holland until 1203 and was first chartered in 1220. It was fortified in 1271, and, although severely damaged by flood in 1421, it was one of the most prosperous medieval ports in the Netherlands until it was surpassed by Rotterdam and Amsterdam.

In 1572 Dordrecht welcomed the "Sea Beggars" (Water geuzen), Netherlands rebels against Spain, and was the scene of the first assembly of the United Provinces. It was the seat (1618-1619) of the important Synod of Dort, an international assembly of the Reformed Church (for which it had declared in 1572)

• The Oldest City of Holland
  

• The Financial center of Holland.
  

• The first assembly of the States of Holland in 1572 in which the Seven United Provinces under the leadership of William I the Silent of Orange declared themselves independent from Spain.
  

• The Synod of Dordrecht (1618-1619), an important religious institute of the Reformed church.
  

• The birth-place of the brothers de Witt, Johan de Witt, a 17th-century Grand Pensionary of Holland, and his brother Cornelius were natives of the town. Important men of state and the first republicans in the17th century, who were later lynched in The Hague.
  

• The 17th-century Dutch painters Albeart Cuyp (the most famous), Ferdinand Bol, Aeart de Gelder, Samuel van Hoogstraten, Benjamin Gerritz Cuyp, Abraham Bloemaert, Nicolaes Maes and Ary Scheffer.
  

• Museums with collections of paintings by old Dutch masters and local medieval antiquities.
  

E & OE

Roots of Van Dort Series Part V

What motivated Patriarch Cornelius Van Dort to leave the Netherland and emigrate to Ceylon in 1700?

Understandably, the Dutch V.O.C was at its heyday. The Dutch V.O.C was the paramount power in foreign lands such as Ceylon and the East Indies.

Was Patriarch Cornelius Van Dort an employee of the Dutch V.O.C and perhaps it was his first job assignment to a V.O.C outpost. Perhaps he was enticed by a promotion to a job at the V.O.C office in Ceylon. This is merely surmisations as there is nothing that explains what led him to emigrate to Ceylon.

Reading young Cornelius' contemporary Dutch history, events are recorded as follow:

1650: Dutch East India Company founds Capetown (Dap Town); has holdings in Indonesia, Ceylon, West Indies and North America.

1660: South Africa settled by Dutch peasants (Boers)

1680: Dutch settlers arrive in Capetown

1690: War of the League of Augsburg, fought mostly in Netherlands, ends with Treaty of Ryswick

About the War of the League of Augsburg 1689-1697- The European phase of the war broke out first when WIlliam III joined the League of Augsburg and the Netherlands (Grand Alliance, 12 May 1689) to resist Louis XIV's invasion of the Rhenish Palatinate (25 Sept. 1688).

Holland 1697 - 1890. After the brutally murder of Johan and Cornelis de Witt in 1672 the power of the United Netherlands began to weaken and another revolution took place.

The great prosperity of the Golden Age came to an end in "The Year of Disaster" 1672 when several Countries declared war to the United Netherlands

Hence, against that tumultous backdrop, although the Netherland was expanding territorially beyond her shores, as a young man Patriarch Cornelius would also have experienced the ravages of King William's War. It is apparent that like all his countrymen who suffered from the war in their heartland, they would rather choose to join the popular wave of emigrants to the Dutch colony frontiers.

At another period, it happened in similar fashion to his Ceylonese posterity. When the Dutch surrendered Ceylon to the British, it led some of his descendants to emigrate to Malaya, Singapore and Australia.


E & OE

Roots of Van Dort Series Part IV

What was Utrecht during the childhood period of Patriarch Cornelius Van Dort?

"Utrecht is famous for its many shops and beautiful canals. Located only 42kms southeast of Amsterdam, the city of Utrecht is full of churches, with more restored medieval religious structures than any other city in Europe. The bi-level, tree-shaded wharf along the Oude Gracht canal through the old centre offers an array of restaurants, shops, and summer cafés", relates one source.

At another source, it reports the following:

"History of Utrecht
Centrally located, Utrecht is the smallest of the twelve provinces. The capital of the province, which bears the same name as the province, has a long and influential history.

Roman period
Utrecht is almost 2000 years old. It all began with a Roman fortification established in 47 AD as part of the reinforcements along the Rhine river against invasions from Germania. The Latin word for a river crossing was Trajectum or Ultra Trajectum, which was later mispronounced as Ultrajectum, Trecht and then Utrecht. Another explanation for the city's name is from a contraction of the words Uut (downstream) and Trecht (ford).

The Middle Ages
At the end of the 7th century, the English missionary Willibrord settled in Utrecht. He became the first Bishop of Utrecht and his statue can be seen at the St. Jans Square. He built a church on the site that now houses the Dom Square. This was the foundation for Utrecht’s role as a religious center in the still thinly populated areas north of the river Rhine.

In 1122, Utrecht was granted a city charter. The canals and wharves date from this golden period. For centuries, Utrecht was the biggest and only city of importance in the North of Holland.

Eighty Years War
Utrecht played a major role during the Eighty Years War against Spain. In 1579, the famed Union of Utrecht was formed in the large kapittelzaal (chapter house), which is now the university auditorium. In signing this document, the provinces of the Netherlands, which had rebelled against the rule of Philip II of Spain under the leadership of the brothers William of Orange and John of Nassau of the house of Orange-Nassau, were officially united. This was a beginning to the Northern Provinces' secession from Spanish rule, a few years later and the formation of the powerful Republic of the Seven United Netherlands, the first republic in post-medieval Europe.

An added impetus came in 1636 with the foundation of the university and again in 1713 with the Peace of Utrecht, which brought about the end of the War of Spanish Succession.

Utrecht prospered thanks to its favorable location in the heart of Holland. The city lies at the crossroads for transport, art, knowledge, service and commerce."

E & OE

Roots of Van Dort Series Part III

In a separate fact-find regarding emigrants to New York and America, there is this genealogy about the "families that settled in New Netherlands, between 1623 and 1664 came primarily from northern Europe. They are of many ethnic origins including: Dutch, Flemish, French, German, Scandinavian and English along with a few from Prussia, Poland, Italy, Scotland etc."

Listed in the A-Z names of families is only one Van Dort going by the name of Van Dort Cornelius. The page link to Van Dor Cornelius provides his details as follows:

|Cornelius &ltHendrick> Van Dort (Rn=8990)
| d: 15 Sep 1655
| Occupation: Caper (sailor): Boat Builder
| Residence: 1 Dort, Netherlands
| Residence: 2 New Amsterdam
| m: to Magdalena &ltDirck> Folkert Van Dort/Rosenkranz (Rn=8989) 24 Oct 1652
| 1 child
| Note:1 Emigrant &lt1652 from Dort to New Amsterdam.
| Note:2 Killed by Indians in 1655.
| Source: 1 Record: Apr 1910 pg 11
| Source: 2 Early Settlers of Bushwick by Andrew J Provost; Jr pg 98

Note particularly that Cornelius Van Dort residence in his native land is Dort. His wife Magdalena too is listed as an emigrant from Dort. The years that affect both Cornelius and Magdalena is in the mid 1600 which is close to Patriarch Cornelius Jansz Van Dort as a young man.

Patriarch Cornelius Jansz Van Dort arrived in Ceylon in 1700. He must have been at earliest of age 20 to have left the Netherland. It could have been at later age because sea voyages in his times was still considered fraught with many dangers. Give and take, it would have been somewhere in the 1670's or 1680's that the Patriarch Cornelius was born in Utrecht. That would have placed him as coming from the next generation following this report of Van Dort Cornelius who emigrated to America.

From other readings it is also noteworthy that it that period of Dutch history, the names given to the children often took after their parents or previous generation or beloved departed siblings and relatives.

Having said this, it is not to be misconstrued that it alludes that Patriarch Cornelius Jansz Van Dort as being the son or the immediate blood relativeof Van Dort Cornelius. There is nothing
that points to that being a proven fact or supported with evidence. 

However, the time frame and coincidence is overwhelms.

E & OE

Roots of Van Dort Series Part II

Did you know?

• The origin of the word “Dutch”. The English word “Dutch” is perhaps a bit strange, but it is derived from the old Dutch word “Duits” (or “Duyts(ch)”), which means something like “from the people”. In older times (until the nineteenth century) the Dutch spoke of “Nederduits(ch)” instead of “Nederlands(ch)”. Nowadays they use this adjective “Duits” (without “Neder”) only when they talk about their neighbours, the Germans (who call their own country “Deutschland”).
  

Confusing, isn’t it? Well, it’s also confusing for most of my countrymen. Our national anthem, the “Wilhelmus”, was written in 1570 as a sort of apology for prince William I the Silent, to explain the reasons for his rebellion against the king of Spain. This Wilhelmus begins with the words Wilhelmus van Nassaue - ben ik, van duytschen bloed [= William of Nassau - am I, of ‘duyts’ blood]. During the German occupation in World War II a lot of people in the Netherlands felt a bit awkward about singing these words, because they interpreted it as “I am of German blood”. However, they still kept singing it, because of its heroic content; it is the chant of the struggle for freedom, and the confidence in the Almighty.

• Holland means "Woodland" in old Dutch (Diets), but there are some theories that it is a Viking name. There is a region in Sweden that is called "Halland" and it's weapon shield looks very much like the weapon shield of Holland (with the lion on a shield). The Vikings often visited this part of Europe until the 10th century. Before that time Holland was called Frisia and it's inhabitants were Frisians. After the name changed many wars were fought by the Counts of Holland against a part that was still called West-Frisia.

• There is another theory about the name Holland. The first mention of Holland in any document is found in an imperial gift brief dated May 2nd 1064. In this the phrase omnis comitatus in Holiandi occurs, but without any further description of the locality indicated.

A comparison with other documentary evidence, however, leads to the identification of Holland with the fore-stum Merweda, or the bush-grown fenland lying between the Waal, the old Meuse and the Merwe. It is the district surrounding the town of Dordrecht. (at that time the Island of Dordrecht did not exist yet, it arised after the St-Elisabeth flood in 1421, at present called The Island of Dordrecht).

A portion of the original Holland was submerged by a great inundation in 1421 and its modern appellation of The Biesbosch (reed-forest) is descriptive of what must have been the condition of the entire district in early times.

The word Holland is indeed by many authorities thought to be a corruption of Holt-land (it was sometimes so spelt by 13th-century writers) and to signify wood-land. The earliest spelling is, however Holland and it is more probable that it means low-lying-land (hol = hollow), a derivation which is equally applicable to the district in Lincolnshire (UK) which bears the same name.

It was The first not, however, till late in the 11th century that his successors adopted the style Hollandensis comes as their territorial designation (it is found for the first time on a seal of Dirk V. 1083), and that the name Holland became gradually extended northwards to connote all the land subject to the rule of the Counts between Texel and the Meuse (Maas).

The beginnings of the history of this feudal state, the later Holland, centre round the abbey of Egmont in whose archives records have been preserved.

From Dirk III henceforth the Frisian Counts became definitively known as Counts of Holland.
During the guardianship of his mother, Liutgardis, the boy was despoiled of almost all his possessions, except Kennemerland and Maasland.

But no sooner was he arrived at mans estate Dirk turned upon his enemies with courage and vigor. He waged war, successfully with Adelbold, the powerful bishop of Utrecht, and made himself master not only of his ancestral possessions, but of the district on the Meuse known as the Bushland of Merweda (Merwede), hitherto subject to the see of Utrecht. In the midst of this marshy tract, at a point commanding the courses of the Meuse and the Waal, he built a castle (about 1015) and began to levy tolls.

The title Count of Holland appears to have been first borne by the Frisian Count Dirk III, who founded Dordrecht (about 1015) and made it his residence (see below).

Around this castle (Huis te Merwede) sprang up the town of Thure-Foundadrecht also called Dortrecht or Dordrecht. The possession. of this stronghold Dordrecht. was so injurious to the commerce of Tiel, Cologne and the Rhenish towns with England that complaints were made by the bishop of Utrecht and the archbishop of Cologne to emperor Henry II.

Emperor Henry II took the part of the complainants and commissioned Duke Godfrey of Lorraine to chastise the young Frisian Count. Duke Godfrey invaded Dirks lands with a large army, but they were impeded by the swampy nature of the Country and totally defeated with heavy loss (July 29, 1018).

Duke Godfrey himself was taken prisoner. The result was that Dirk was not merely confirmed in his possession of Dordrecht and the Merweda Bushland (the later Holland) but also of the territory of a vassal of the Utrecht See, Dirk Bavo by name, which he conquered.

This victory of 1018 is often regarded as of the the true starting-point of the history of the County of Holland.

Elsewhere, there is this account:

• Holland is only a small part of present The Netherlands consisting of North-Holland, South-Holland (now called "De Randstad") and Zeeland and was called "The Northern Lowlands. In the south Brabant, Limburg, Flanders and Luxemburg, called The Southern Lowlands (even parts of modern Germany belonged to this area at that time).

• The other provinces of modern Netherlands were added later in the 19th century after the France occupation (1795-1813) when Belgium became independent from The Northern-Lowlands, (1830). From than on the "whole" Country is named The Netherlands.

• In fact the 's' in Netherland, shows that this is a union. Holland gave up it's independence a long time ago (1572). So calling the Netherlands 'Holland', is like calling Great Britain 'Scotland' or 'Wales', or the USA 'District Colombia'.

• Modern Holland or The Netherlands is more then only wooden shoes and Windmills, Tulips, Cheese and boys with their finger in a Dike. Holland in the 21st century is not only famous because of their Flowers but also for the high-tech industries like Philips, Unilever, Akzo, Shell and other multinational companies. The Dutch are also an important investor in cities like New York (Manhattan) and other cities and Countries all over the world.

• Almost 50 % of the Netherland lies beneath sea level so the Dutch live whole their lives with water all around them and millions of people live beneath sea-level.  Dordrecht is a city surrounded with rivers.

• Is it called the Netherlands, Holland, the Low Countries or even Friesland? There is a lot confusion about the name of our country. Nowadays we call it “Koninkrijk der Nederlanden” (Kingdom of the Netherlands), shortened as “Nederland”. This kingdom consists of three countries:
  

1. “Nederland” [= the Netherlands, i.e. the part of the kingdom on mainland Europe];

2. “de Nederlandse Antillen” [= the Netherlands Antilles]; and

3. Aruba (until 1986 one of the Netherlands Antilles; in 1986 this isle off the coast of Venezuela gained a “status aparte”).

• The tenth century. In the tenth century, the complete coast of the Netherlands was called “Friesland” (in English, Frisia, but either term can be used). After that the name was reserved only for the northern coast. The western coast (sometimes called “West-Friesland” [= West Frisia]) became part of the County of Holland. “Holland” (the same in English and Dutch) is an adulteration of “Hout-Land”, which means in English “Wood-Land”, because there were a lot of trees in the area.

• The Middle Ages. In the early Middle Ages the country was an assemblage of counties, duchies and dioceses, all of which were a part of the German Empire (the Holy Roman Empire). The most important part of this area was the County of Holland. Little by little (mostly by marriage) the titles of the remaining regions came to be held by the dukes of Burgundy. So the dukes of Burgundy not only claimed that important title, but also that of Count of Holland, Duke of Brabant, etc. In 1477 duchess Mary of Burgundy married emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg. Because of this marriage the Dutch areas became a possession of the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs also held possessions in Austria, and most of the time the Habsburgs also reigned as emperor of the German Empire.
  

After emperor Maximilian I of Habsburg came his son Philip, who married infanta Juana de Castilla, heir to the throne of Spain. Their son Charles [= emperor Charles V of Germany] was the next ruler. He gave in 1556 his Austrian possessions and the title of emperor to his brother, and in 1555 his possessions Spain and the Netherlands to his son Philip [= king Philip II of Spain].

The name of this group of areas was now “de Nederlanden”, which could be translated as “the Netherlands” or “the Low Countries” (the Dutch word “neder” (or simply “neer”) means “down”, and “landen” is the plural of “land”, which in English is more or less the same word). So “the Netherlands” and “the Low Countries” mean exactly the same thing.

Originally, “the Netherlands” was a name for Germany and the Netherlands combined (as they were under the Frankish Carolingian Empire), and the westerly region (the modern Netherlands) was called “the Netherlands at the sea”. Gradually “the Netherlands” came to indicate only the western region, so the words “at the sea” were eventually dropped.

• The schism. It is important to know that until 1579 the name “Netherlands” included also the territory which is nowadays known as Belgium. On 6th January 1579 these southern regions of the Netherlands signed the “Unie van Atrecht” [= the Union of Atrecht], in which they declared that they were prepared to be loyal to the Roman Catholic king Philip II of Spain. In reply, on 23rd January 1579 the seven northern areas signed the “Unie van Utrecht” [= the Union of Utrecht], in which they declared that they were not able to comply to the orders of this Roman Catholic lord. This created a schism, splitting the Netherlands into northern and southern sections (nowadays known as the Netherlands and Belgium).
  

• The independence. The Netherlands finally gained independence from the Habsburgs in 1581. In this year the Northern Netherlands deposed their nominal master, king Philip II of Spain (who was not king of the Netherlands, but only “lord”). The country was renamed “de Republiek der Zeven Verenigde Nederlanden” [= the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands]; the words “Zeven” and “Verenigde” were not always used, so there are also shorter versions of this name. In fact, the word “republic” was a bit a misleading word, because most of the time there was a Prince of Orange ruling the country as stadhouder (royal “head of state”), king in all but name. Sometimes our country was also called “de Zeven Provinciën” [= the Seven Provinces].
  

• The French time. In 1795 the revolutionary French Republic invaded the Netherlands. The old Republic was reformed on French model by its new masters and was named “Bataafs(ch)e Republiek” [= Batavian Republic], because the tribe of the Batavians were believed to be the ancestors of the Dutch people. (The last stadhouder, prince William V, called himself “Willem Batavus” [= William the Batavian].)
  

From 1806 until 1810, the Netherlands was ruled as a kingdom, with Napoleon’s well-meaning brother Louis Napoleon (in Dutch: Lodewijk Napoleon) as king. It was called “Koningrijk Holland” [= Kingdom Holland]. This was a misleading name, because Holland was only one of the seven provinces (there were six other provinces, but apparently they were not important).

From 1810 until 1813, the country was part of the French Empire, ruled directly by emperor Napoleon I. Once Napoleon had lost control of Germany, the British sent a small expeditionary force to aid the Dutch, the French were rapidly forced out.

• The modern time. From 1813 until 1815, the country (then called “de Verenigde Nederlanden” [= the United Netherlands]) was ruled by prince William I, son of the last stadhouder prince William V.
  

In 1815, the Congress of Vienna decided that the Southern Netherlands would be rejoined to the country (if only to take it out of French control), and that prince William I would be elevated to the status of king now that his territory had been almost doubled. The country was then called “Verenigd Koninkrijk der Nederlanden” [= United Kingdom of the Netherlands].

In 1830, the Southern Netherlands revolted against king William I, and in 1831 they proclaimed their independence and called their new country Belgium (in Dutch: “België”, in French: “Belgique”). This independence was recognized by the Dutch government in 1839. So from 1839, the country was officially not “Verenigd” [= United] any more, and was simply called “Koninkrijk der Nederlanden” [= Kingdom of the Netherlands]. Most people probably didn’t notice the change of name, because already in the period 1815-1839 the word “Verenigd” was often omitted.

The Kingdom of the Netherlands remains to the present day.

E & OE

Roots of Van Dort Series Part I

To begin first by knowing the geography of the two locations that involves in Roots.

 The map displays the locations, Utrecht and Dordrecht.

Roots of Van Dort - the Netherland

This will evolve as several parts in a series of Posts regarding the Roots of Van Dort - the Netherlands. As more readings and discovery is made on several fronts pertaining to the said Post title, there might be instances whereby the Post(s) would be edited to include new information.

There is no detail known about Cornelius Jansz Van Dort's background that predates his arrival in Ceylon in 1700.

This makes it an exciting piece of explorative work as it would touch on several "fact" finding readings from which both mental surmisation and common sense would at the least point towards a better understanding Cornelius' background.

Cornelius Jansz Van Dort from Genealogy records is the known Patriarch of the families Van Dort in Ceylon/Sri Lanka, Malaya/Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and perhaps in other South East Asian nations. The latter of which we are yet to discover of there being any Van Dort who may have emigrated to these nations from those past misty times of history.

All that is known about the Patriarch Cornelius is that he was born in Utrecht. Year of his birth is unknown.

In addition it is understood that Van Dort would mean "of Dort" or "from Dort". In Dutch reference of location, it is also know that Dort also refers to the Netherland city of Dordrecht.

With these two indicators at least some research will be attempted, namely additional readings about Utrecht and Dordrecht history vis-a-vis the period  that was contemporary to Cornelius Jansz Van Dort's time in the Netherlands.

As an overview, there will be some interesting mentions about the Netherlands ; facts and issues that would hopefully shed a clearer understanding of the heartland from where the Malaysian families Van Dort originate. It comes from a history that is more than 300 years ago.

E & OE

Van Dort - the name origin, meaning and spelling

Van Dort or is it van Dort? It is beyond any doubt a Dutch surname. What is the origin, the meaning and the correct spelling?

As a young boy, I recall having asked my grandfather whether the family's surname is spelt Van Dort or van Dort. His answer was quick as he said that it is spelt van Dort. I know of  others who write it as Van Dort. 

The  correct spelling makes it even more difficult in these times as the names in our national personal identification papers are written in capitals throughout. Hence, over time, van Dort becomes a forgone arguement.

In typical Dutch spelling it would be van Dort. This is attested from various reference sources 
on the matter of how Dutch names are spelt. 

Being offshore Dutch descendants, a Malaysian Van Dort might want to know the origins of the family surname. First, I shall first refer to a source that says :

"DORT - Netherlands: see Dordrecht."

and upon referring to Dordrecht, it goes on to say:

"DORDRECHT - dôrˈdrĕkht or Dortdôrt, city (1994 pop. 113,394), South Holland prov., SW Netherlands, at the point where the Lower Merwede divides to form the Noord and Oude Maas (Old Meuse) rivers. An important rail junction and river port, it has shipyards and manufactures heavy machinery and chemicals. Founded in the early 11th cent., Dordrecht was the scene (1572) of the meeting of the Estates of Holland that proclaimed William the Silent stadtholder. Dordrecht has a 14th-century Gothic church (Groote Kerk) and an art museum."
Unquote: http://www.questia.com/library/encyclopedia/dort.jsp

Hold that in memory for a moment as the name van needs to be explained.
"Van is a preposition in the Dutch language meaning 'of' or 'from'."

Hence, Van Dort would mean "of Dort (Dordrecht)" or "from Dort (Dordrecht)".

You may find further readings on this at :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_(Dutch)
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/library/article.aspx?article=3770

In another interesting contribution from Ms. Mascha Van Dort at her Genealogy of the families Van Dort, she explained as follows:

"The family van Dort from The Netherlands is probably not one family. It is more likely that several families moved away from Dordrecht, also called Dordt, at a certain period of time. When they settled down in a new city they were called van Dort, which could mean from Dordt or from Dordrecht.
A genealogist, who looked into the family Schot, a family which is closely related to the family van Dort in Bergen op Zoom, claims to have found evidence that the family van Dort from Bergen op Zoom, originally came from Dordrecht. We didn't find evidence in Bergen op Zoom to support this theory yet, but it is very well possible.

In the Netherlands of the 17th century people with the name van Dort could be found in various cities: Bergen op Zoom and Rotterdam, Utrecht, the Beemster, Gorinchem and The Hague, Delft and Rijswijk and Amsterdam and Muiden. There is no connection yet established between the people in the several cities. In the 18th and 19th century people with the name van Dort were spread all over The Netherlands and Sri Lanka. And in the 19th and 20th century people with the name van Dort were spread over the whole world: the US, Canada, Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Germany, England and Belgium." 
Unquote: http://www.van-dort.org/

Note that in the above, Ms. Mascha spells the surname as van Dort. However, as she proceeds futher into her Genealogy she mentions, "But there were two separate Dutch families of V/van Dorts that founded the Sri Lankan chapter of V/van Dorts".

Herein it seems essential that there is a distinct genealogy difference for a van Dort and a Van Dort.

"It is said that in the Netherlands, names starting with 'van', the 'v' is written in lower case. In Belgium the 'V' is always capitalized. The same usage holds for Afrikaans."
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_(Dutch)

The present families Van Dort in Malaysia are 7th or 8th generation from Cornelius Jansz Van Dort  was born in Utrecht and sailed on board the vessel "De Bellois" to Ceylon and lived in Ceylong from 1700-1749. (DBU Journal Vol 1 page 39) Source: http://www.happy.demon.nl/vandort/wwwged/p618.htm

In the Genealogy papers on the Internet, Cornelius J. Van Dort and all his children surnames are spelt as Van Dort.

After more than 200 years, it is impossible to know whether it is van or Van. It does not make a difference anymore today although when one thinks further abour it, a v would indicate Dutch aristocracy whereas a V would not.

E & OE

Malaysian families related to Malaysian Van Dort

This is not a complete list of names of Malaysian families who by marriage are related to the Malaysian Van Dort. Therefore, this is an open Post for the inclusion of names of families that are not entered at this initial Post.

As it is, more so with each generation, this becomes an interesting fact index of who are various other Malaysian families that are linked to the Malaysian family of Van Dort.
 
Understandably, any attempt to go beyond the first marriage link would make it increasingly tedious and lack clarity without the assistance of a genealogy chart. Hence, the first marriage link for the purpose of this Post would be materially sufficient.

Please try to keep the numeric sequence flowing when new names are added to this Post in your Comments; it helps to remember the total number of families when reading the last Comment made.

Surname of Malaysian family - family link

1. Murray - Francis Murray married Fay Van Dort, daughter of Aelian Van Dort.
2. Lim - Peter Lim married Trixy Van Dort, daughter of Aelian Van Dort.
3. Lim - Lim Ho Kee married Evangeline Van Dort, daughter of Mitsy Van Dort.
4. Kok - Alice Kok married Hans Van Dort, son of Mitsy Van Dort.
5. Joseph - Carina Joseph married Dexter Van Dort, son of Frederick Augustus Van Dort.
6. Asirvanthan - Jacinta Asirvanthan married Trevln Van Dort, son of Frederick Van Dort.
7. Spittel - Lionel Spittel married Claribel Frances Van Dort, daughter of William Gregory Van Dort.
8. Nicholas - Joyce Nicholas married Edgar Van Dort, son of Aelian Van Dort.
9. Putra - George David Putra married Louisa Van Dort, daughter of William Van Dort.

E & OE

The Van Dort Coat of Arms

At her website, Mascha published two pictures of the Coat of Arms as shown above.

Mascha van Dort's manages a dedicated website for the genealogy of the families Van Dort. She has one section that provides the various Coat of Arms for 8 different families.

The patriarch, Cornelis Jansz Van Dort for the Sri Lankan family Van Dort had the
"shield and motto - Tree standing in sea, with a star on top. The motto means "We hope for better". According to David Van Dort the coat of arms is simular of that of the VOC coat of arms for the province in which the early Sri Lankan Van Dorts lived. The VOC divided the country in different provinces and each province had a coat of arms. The VOC coat of arms contains the tree and the sea. Another explanation is that appel tree from Holland with a star from the East. Drawn after the 'Arms, Armorial Bearings of the Dutch period in Ceylon by J.L. Kalenberg Van Dort, Colombo Ceylon 1889, as part of a typed genealogy after van Altendorff."

Keeping the integrity of the Coat of Arms, we have included the Malaysian flag alongside it to connote the Malaysian family of Van Dort. The coloured Coat of Arms was chosen for obvious reason.

It adorns the left side bar beneath the title of this Blog.

E & OE

Do you wish to make a Post?

Those who wish to make a Post at this Blog, please send an email request to:

myvandort@gmail.com

Google's Blogger must include the requestor in the Admin Control Panel to 
enable a Post to be published.

To publish a Post is different from publishing a Comment. A Post is the Titled
Article that is read at the main column of the Blog.

The Comment feature is set with an open Id for any visitor to publish a comment.

Thank you,

E & OE

Fazli Sameer - Accomplished Genealogist

I would like to introduce Mr. Fazli Sameer.

It can be said that it is due to reading his extensive work on the Dutch Burgher genealogy in Sri Lanka at various Internet links that enabled me to collate valuable information on the Van Dort genealogy.

Mr. Fazli is a Muslim from Sri Lanka. We have shared notes and over several years we have been in touch with each other.

His contribution in this field is enormous. The information that he provides is based on fact and that serves him well in being the accomplished Genealogist that he is.

Over at "More Readings" at this Blog, I have included a link to his work. I am sure that you will be surprised at Mr. Fazli's comprehensiveness in a field that is daunting and challenging to say the least.

I am indebted to Mr. Fazli for having unselfishly provided so much information that would never have been otherwise available.

E & OE

Lewellyn Gregory Van Dort

Lewellyn Gregory Van Dort (born 19 February, 1871 - died 1911)

Lewellyn Gregory Van Dort married Nellie de Alvis. They had ? children.

(note: Nellie de Alvis was the HeadMistress of the Pudu English Secondary School in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. At the school the "Best Student Award" was named after Nellie.

Children Names:

No records available.

Any other information with regards to their children - names, the date of birth and death, marriage, names of their children etc, etc, would be most appreciated and add value to fill in a few missing details in Fred A. Van Dort's Genealogy Chart.

Please use the "Comment" feature to add information, queries or issues regarding Lewellyn Gregory Van Dort's lineage.

E & OE

Augustus Van Dort

Augustus Van Dort (born 22 October, 1878 - died 29 June, 1944).

Agustus married  Daisy Vanderwall (born ? - died 1980) They had 4 children.

Children Names:

1. Frederick Francis Agustus
   
2. Llyod Randolph
   
3. Mavis Grace
   
4. Joan Christine (born ? - died 30 July, 1999)
   

 
Any other information with regards to their 4 children - the date of birth and death, marriage, names of their 4 children etc, etc, would be most appreciated and add value to fill in a few missing details in Fred F.A Van Dort's Genealogy Chart.

Please use the "Comment" feature to add information, queries or issues regarding Augustus Van Dort's lineage.

E & OE

Aelian Van Dort

Aelian Van Dort (born 13 July, 1880 - died 22 December, 1967)

Aelian married Edith Nancy Vanderstratten (born ? - died d:1958). They had 8 children.

Children Names:

1. Karl
   
2. Fay
   
3. Hans
   
4. Noel  (born 19 November, 1919 - died 30 January 1973)
   
5. Trixy (adopted)
   
6. Mitsy (adopted)
   
7. Ruby (adopted)

Any other information with regards to their 8 children - the date of birth and death, marriage, names of their 8 children etc., etc., would be appreciated and add value to fill in a few missing details in Fred A. Van Dort's Genealogy Chart.

Please use the "Comment" feature to add information, queries or issues regarding Aelian Van Dort's lineage.

E & OE

The "Godfathers" of Malaysian Van Dorts

Introduction

This is a brief account. It will further generate separate Post for each "Godfather" who began their posterity in British Malaya - now known as Malaysia.

Aelian Van Dort and Augustus Van Dort

Aelian and Augustus were sons of Willem Van Dort. Their parents, Willem Van Dort and Christin Botaju had 14 children.

The brothers, Aelian and Augustus emigrated to British Malaya after Dutch Celyon fell to the British. Ceylon is now known as Sri Lanka.

Lewellyn Gregory Van Dort

Lewellyn Greory was the son of William Gregory Van Dort. His parents, William Gregory Van Dort and Sophia Marion McCarthy had 8 children.

The brothers Aelian and Augustus were first cousins to Lewellyn Gregory. Their fathers, Willem Van Dort and William Gregory Van Dort were brothers.

Genealogy Details

Understandably, to narrate family lineage in this manner makes difficult reading. However, this will be more clear and easier with chart that would adequately explain. The charts will become available when I find suitable software and web hosting for it.

In the meantime, this is meant as a bird's eye view for the brief background of each of the "Godfather" Van Dort whose origin are from the Ceylon Dutch Burgher community.

From past communication that I had with a few other Van Dort persons in Malaysia it was impossible to trace their ancestry. This would require further enquiries and is dependent on the cooperation from these persons. It also depends on the availability of fact information rather than hearsay. Hopefully, with the help of this Blog, something might develop favourably to include any other "Godfather" Van Dort to the Malaysian accountability.

E & OE

Features at this Blog

Greetings to you,

Effort has been made to provide some of the basic features at this Blog. At the start these are available :

Email Address Book

• An email address book for entries to be made and stored for future reference. This is modified from what is commonly used as a Guest Book at Blogs. It still serves the intended purpose.

Yahoo Group

• A Yahoo Group button which links to this Blogs account with Yahoo Group. There are advantages in having this as the Blog's own features is not able to provide beyond what it already does. At Yahoo Group, most importantly, there is the Photo Album and File sections which allow items to be uploaded and stored for view sharing with others.

Email Subscription

• There is an email subscription to this Blog. This allows a person the option to have Posts and Comments at this Blog to be delivered to his email address.

Genealogy

• The Genealogy look up buttons are functional but at the present moment there is no data. There is still work to be done to provide the data on a feasible format. This is a work in progress.

More Readings

• Selected references for More Readings are included. This feature will continue to expand as and when.

About Avatars

Google's Blogger does not support Avatars for users at their Blog. This is unfortunate. Most Blog and Forum platforms are moving rapidly towards allowing users to select Avatars (miniaturised pictures as their mascot) as it enhances the social platform.

About Smiley Emoticons

Google's Blogger does not support Smiley Emoticons. I will need to hack into this Blog source code template to make that happen. I need a bit more time to work on that. Hopefully it will be feasible with the Blog author's template source code.

"Sticky" Posts

Just in case some may have wondered why the "sticky Posts" are bear a future date as in 01 January 2011. This is deliberate so that important Posts will remain permanently on top of the Post. That is the only way to make the Post stay in that position. The default is that all Posts are bumped to a lower position by an incoming new Post.

Thank You, and please enjoy.

Blog Admin