History Tjeenk Willink

Harmanus Didericus (Tjeenk) Willink was born in Winterswijk, on August 22nd, 1790 as a son of Joost Willink and Anna Margeretha Bovy. In December 1806 he was confirmed in the Reformed Church in Zutphen.

On 19-9-1810 he married Aleida Maria Colenbrander, both the civil wedding and the church wedding took place in Zutphen. They published the banns on the 2nd, 9th and 16th of September. The church wedding was contracted by the clergyman of Herwerden at home, not in the church.

Harmanus Didericus died in Zutphen on January 14th, 1859 after an active life as brick manufacturer and after a happy matrimony of more than 48 years. (According to the death announcement in the Zutpher Courant)

His wife Aleida Maria Colenbrander was born in Zutphen on February 8th, 1791 as a daughter of the brick manufacturer Johannes Frederik Colenbrander and his second wife Johanna Hendrika Schemkes. On 14-6-1876 Aleida Maria died in Zutphen. Her father already died in 1802 and her mother continued the brick factory. It is not clear if this was the same brick factory Harmanus Didericus had the leadership over later.

Harmanus Didericus and Aleida Maria had ten children, including the publisher in Zwolle, the publisher in Arnhem and the pharmacist in Zutphen. The family lived in the Beukerstraat in any case from 1842 (start Zutphens Register of Births, Deaths and Marriages) until the death of mother in 1870. It’s not known in which house they lived.

Harmanus Didericus had on the father's side of the family a great-uncle, Didericus Tjeenk. Who was baptized in Winterswijk on 21-11-1731, was clergyman and died in Amsterdam on 28-1-1808, without leaving behind any kids.

After this decease his second cousin added the name Tjeenk to his surname Willink.

This great uncle was in all probability a brother of Anna Margaretha Thijeenk, the grandmother of Hermanus Didericus Tjeenk Willink.