Jan Wichers Explained

Jan Wichers
Office1:Governor-General of Suriname
Term Start1:24 December 1784
Term End1:15 June 1790
Successor1:Jurriaan François de Friderici
Birth Name:Jan Gerhard Wichers
Birth Date:1745 7, df=yes
Birth Place:Groningen, Dutch Republic
Death Place:Vreeswijk, Kingdom of Holland
Occupation:military officer, lawyer

Jan Gerard Wichers (15 July 1745 – 3 October 1808) was a military officer and lawyer. He served as Governor of Suriname from 1784 until 1790.

Biography

Wichers was born on 15 July 1745 in Groningen, Dutch Republic. In 1760, he started studying law at the University of Groningen, and obtained his doctorate on 15 June 1768.[1] He enlisted in the army.[2]

In 1771, Wichers was appointed Raad Fiscaal (Attorney general) in Suriname.[3] In 1775, Jan Wicherides, his only child, was born as a result of an extra-maritial affair with the free negress Adjuba.[4] [5] Jan Wicherides would later become mayor of Uithoorn.[6]

On 24 December 1784, Wichers was appointed Governor-General of Suriname.[7] In 1785, he was promoted major general.[2] In 1790, Fort Groningen was built.[8] A city was planned around the fort, however the development of the town remained limited.[9] Wichers wanted to promote a mixed race middle class, because he felt that the Europeans in the colony had little loyalty to Suriname. He had planned, but never executed, to give an award of ƒ100,- for every mixed race child who was manumitted.[10]

On 15 June 1790, Wichers was succeeded by Jurriaan François de Friderici.[7] He returned to the Netherlands, and became a member of the Council of American Colonies in the Hague. In 1806, he became a member of the Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde.[11]

Wichers died on 3 October 1808 in Vreeswijk, at the age of 63.[1]

Legacy

In 2012, RTV Noord aired a documentary about Groningen, Suriname, the town founded by Jan Wichers.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Book: Nieuw Nederlandsch biografisch woordenboek . 1937. 10. P.J. Blok and P.C. Molhuysen. Leiden. A.W. Sijthoff. nl.
  2. Web site: Appointment on August 22, 1785 in Den Haag (Netherlands). Commission Books at Dutch National Archives. 4 January 2022. nl.
  3. Book: Encyclopaedie van Nederlandsch West-Indië. Benjamins . Herman Daniël. Snelleman . Johannes . 1917. Digital Library for Dutch Literature. nl. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. Leiden. 324.
  4. Web site: Suriname: Gereformeerden, Voornaam: Jan Wicherides . Dutch National Archives. 4 January 2022. nl.
  5. De vrije gekleurde en zwarte bevolking van Paramaribo, 1762-1863. Wim Hoogbergen and Okke ten Hove. OSO. Tijdschrift voor Surinaamse taalkunde, letterkunde en geschiedenis. 2001. 313. nl. 4 January 2022. The source stated that Jan Wicherides was manumitted, however the National Archives (and others) state that Adjuba was already free.
  6. Web site: Burgemeesters. Suriname.nu. 4 January 2022. nl.
  7. Web site: Surinaamsche Staatkundige Almanach voor den Jaare 1794. 1794. nl. Digital Library for Dutch Literature. 4 January 2022. 36.
  8. News: Fort uit 1790 in Saramacca ontdekt . Star Nieuws. 4 January 2022. nl.
  9. Book: Zes jaren in Suriname . A. Kappler. 1854. Utrecht. 4 January 2022. nl. 137.
  10. 'Wanneer ik dronken ben, word ik vreemdeling' De identiteitsproblematiek van Tip Marugg in multicultureel perspectief. Neerlandica extra Muros / Internationale Neerlandistiek. 2008. Jeroen Dewulf . 4 January 2022. nl. 11.
  11. Book: Biographisch woordenboek der Nederlanden. 20. A.J. van der Aa. 1877. J.J. van Brederode. Haarlem. nl.
  12. Web site: Groningen ligt in Suriname. Beno Hofman. 4 January 2022. nl.