Jan Jakob Lodewijk was born on December 23, 1819 in Gravenhage
as the son of Jan Herman and Johanna Henriëtta de Witte.
He was a student of schoolmaster J. van Renesse and at a very
young age he started to show his love for language and poetry.
When he was thirteen years old he started work with the firm
Vriesendorp and Gaade; at the same time he took night-school
classes from Mr. van Renesse. When he was fourteen years old,
he sent a poem that was very well received. Inspired by Bilderdijk
and Da Costa he progressed to be a preacher and poet. From
1845 he was a preacher in Marken. In the month of May of the
same year he married Johanna Sophia Waldorp, daughter of the
famous painter. Then he became a preacher in Almkerk, Middelburg
and Amsterdam. As a man he was known to be kind-hearted and
friendly. Many distinguished societies made him an honorary
member. Several Kings honoured him with medals(?). In his
personal life he knew many sorrows. After the death of three
daughters and two sons, his wife died on May 20, 1887; only
one son was left . Jan Jakob himself died on December 26,
1889, just turned 70.
Jan Jakob Lodewijk Ten Kate
1819-1889
We found the Divine Name in the boek "gedichten"
('Poems')- notice the fine decorated cover...
