List of colonial governors of the Dutch Gold Coast explained

This article lists the colonial governors of the Dutch Gold Coast. During the Dutch presence on the Gold Coast, which lasted from 1598 to 1872, the title of the head of the colonial government changed several times:[1]

List

Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office.

Direct Dutch rule (1612–1621)

Before the establishment of the Dutch West India Company on 3 June 1621, Dutch traders nominally were at the direct control of the Dutch government. Initially, the regulation of trade was left to the traders themselves, but after the building of Fort Nassau at Mouri in 1612, a general was installed to administrate the new colony.

NameTitleTook officeLeft officeNotes
Jacob Adriaensz ClantiusGeneral of the Coast16121614
A.J. RoestGeneral of the Coast1614?
Arent Jacobzen van AmersfoortGeneral of the Coast??

Dutch West India Company rule (1621–1791)

There are many lists available of Director-Generals of the Gold Coast in service of the Dutch West India Company, all with slightly conflicting names and dates. The most accurate information is available for the eighteenth century, as Harvey Feinberg compiled a list of Director-Generals of that century on the basis of day registries available at the Nationaal Archief.

NameTitleTook officeLeft officeNotes
Adriaen JacobzoonDirector-General16241629Based at Fort Nassau, Mouri
Nikolaas van YprenDirector-General162918 July 1639Based at Fort George, Elmina, from 1637
Arend Jacobszoon MontfortDirector-General18 July 16396 January 1641
Jacob RuyghaverDirector-General6 January 164118 December 16451st term
Jacob van der WellDirector-General18 December 16459 April 1650
Hendrik DoedensDirector-General9 April 165011 June 1650
Arent CocqGovernor11 June 165015 March 1651
Jacob RuyghaverDirector-General15 March 165124 January 16562nd term
Johannes van ValkenburghDirector-General24 January 165627 April 16591st term
Casper van HeussenDirector-General27 April 16597 April 1662
Dirck WilréDirector-General7 April 166223 December 16621st term
Johannes van ValkenburghDirector-General23 December 16622 June 16672nd term
Huybert van OngerdonkGovernor2 June 166712 December 1668
Dirck WilréDirector-General12 December 166812 June 16752nd term
Johan RootDirector-General12 June 167513 September 1676
Abraham MeermansDirector-General13 September 167626 March 1680
Daniël VerhoutertDirector-General26 March 16801 August 1683
Thomas ErnsthuisDirector-General1 August 168315 July 1685
Nikolas de SweertsDirector-General15 July 168529 January 1690
Joël SmitsDirector-General29 January 169025 March 1664
Jan StaphorstDirector-General25 March 16949 June 1696
Joan van SevenhuijsenDirector-General9 June 169616 May 1702
Willem de la PalmaDirector-General16 May 170217 October 1705Died in office
Pieter NuytsDirector-General23 October 1705 26 September 1708Died in office
Henrico van WeselGovernor26 September 1708 13 July 1709
Adriaan SchoonheijdDirector-General13 July 1709 15 March 1711Died in office
Hieronimus HaringDirector-General16 March 1711 12 May 1716
Abraham Engelgraaf-RobbertszoonDirector-General12 May 1716 11 March 1718
Willem ButlerDirector-General12 March 1718 25 September 1722
Abraham HoutmanDirector-General25 September 1722 17 May 1723Died in office
Mattheus de CraneGovernor17 May 172314 December 1723
Pieter ValkenierDirector-General14 December 1723 6-7 March 1727
Robert NorreDirector-General7 March 1727 6 March 1730
Jan PrangerDirector-General6 March 1730 13 March 1734
Antonius van OverbekeDirector-General13 March 1734 2 April 1736Died in office
Martinus François de BordesDirector-General7 April 1736 16 March 1740Died in office
François BaroviusGovernor17 March 1740 8 March 1741
Baron Jacob de PetersenDirector-General8 March 1741 10-12 April 1747
Jan van VoorstDirector-General10-12 April 1747 14 July 1754
Nicolas Mattheus van der Nood de GietereDirector-General14 July 1754 24 October 1755Died in office
Roelof UlzenGovernor24 October 1755 15 January 1758
Lambert Jacob van TetsDirector-General15 January 1758 12 March 1758Died in office
Jan Pieter Theodoor HuydecoperPresident of the Council22 March 1758 5 October 17601st Term
David Pieter ErasmieDirector-General5 October 1760 19 July 1763Died in office
Hendrick WalmbeekGovernor24 July 1763 10 September 1764
Jan Pieter Theodoor HuydecoperDirector-General10 September 1764 11 July 17672nd Term; died in office
Willem Sulyard van Leefdael and Cornelis KlokPresident of the Council11 July 176727 August 1767Both acting ad interim until Woortman arrived at Elmina
Pieter WoortmanDirector-General27 August 176714 April 1780Died in office
Jacobus van der PuijePresident of the Council10 May 1780 30 December 1780
Pieter VolkmarDirector-General30 December 1780 12 March 1784
Gilles Servaas GallePresident of the Council15 March 1784 14 February 17851st Term
Adolph ThierensDirector-General14 February 1785 26 May 1786Died in office
Gilles Servaas GallePresident of the Council2 June 1786 24 August 17872nd Term; died in office
Lieve van Bergen van der GrijpPresident of the Council27 August 1787 11-14 March 17901st Term
Jacobus Adriaan de VeerDirector-General11-14 March 1790 31 December 1791Dutch West India Company liquidated 31 December 1791

Direct Dutch rule (1792–1872)

The Dutch West India Company was dissolved in 1791, and its colonies reverted to the rule of the States-General of the Dutch Republic on 1 January 1792. The last Director-General installed by the Dutch West India Company, Jacobus de Veer, became the first Director-General under the direct authority of the Dutch Republic. The Dutch Republic was succeeded by the Batavian Republic and the Kingdom of Holland, which all inherited the rule over the colony.

Although the Kingdom of Holland was incorporated into the First French Empire, the colony on the Gold Coast was never occupied by either France or Great-Britain. Dutch rule continued under the Kingdom of the Netherlands proclaimed in 1815, until the cession of the possessions on the Gold Coast to the United Kingdom in 1872.

TitlePortraitNameTenure
Took officeLeft office
Director-GeneralJacobus Adriaan de Veer1 January 17925 May 1794
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Lieve van Bergen van der Grijpbgcolor=#E6E6AA 5 May 1794bgcolor=#E6E6AA 10 January 1795
GovernorOtto Arnoldus Duim10 January 17952 June 1796
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Lieve van Bergen van der Grijpbgcolor=#E6E6AA 2 June 1796bgcolor=#E6E6AA 21 August 1796
Director-GeneralGerhardus Hubertus van Hamel21 August 17961 May 1798
Governor-GeneralCornelius Ludwich Bartels
Promoted to Governor-General on 12 August 1801		8 May 179828 April 1804
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Isaac de Roeverbgcolor=#E6E6AA 28 April 1804bgcolor=#E6E6AA 15 June 1805
Governor-GeneralPieter Linthorst
Acting until 5 August 1805		16 June 180521 July 1807
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Johannes Petrus Hoogenboombgcolor=#E6E6AA 21 July 1807bgcolor=#E6E6AA 11 August 1808
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Jan Frederik Königbgcolor=#E6E6AA 12 August 1808bgcolor=#E6E6AA 5 March 1810
Commandant-GeneralAbraham de Veer5 March 181011 March 1816
Governor-GeneralHerman Willem Daendels11 March 18162 May 1818
CommanderFrans Christiaan Eberhard Oldenburg
Acting until 1 November 1819		2 May 18182 January 1820
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Johannes Oosthoutbgcolor=#E6E6AA 10 January 1820bgcolor=#E6E6AA 29 August 1821
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Friedrich Lastbgcolor=#E6E6AA 31 August 1821bgcolor=#E6E6AA 14 February 1822
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Librecht Jan Temminckbgcolor=#E6E6AA 14 February 1822bgcolor=#E6E6AA 6 June 1822
CommanderWillem Poolman6 June 182214 June 1823
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Hendrik Adriaan Mouwebgcolor=#E6E6AA 27 June 1823bgcolor=#E6E6AA 11 February 1824
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Johan David Carel Pagenstecherbgcolor=#E6E6AA 17 February 1824bgcolor=#E6E6AA 24 February 1824
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Friedrich Lastbgcolor=#E6E6AA 24 February 1824bgcolor=#E6E6AA 3 January 1826
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Jacobus van der Breggen Paauwbgcolor=#E6E6AA 3 January 1826bgcolor=#E6E6AA 26 November 1827
CommanderFriedrich Last26 November 182728 April 1832
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Jan Tieleman Jacobus Cremerbgcolor=#E6E6AA 28 April 1832bgcolor=#E6E6AA 1 July 1832
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Eduard Daniel Leopold van Ingenbgcolor=#E6E6AA 1 July 1832bgcolor=#E6E6AA 16 March 1833
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Martinus Swartebgcolor=#E6E6AA 29 March 1833bgcolor=#E6E6AA 11 May 1833
CommanderChristiaan Lans11 May 18332 December 1836
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Hendrik Tonneboeijerbgcolor=#E6E6AA 2 December 1836bgcolor=#E6E6AA 28 October 1837
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Anthony van der Ebbgcolor=#E6E6AA 29 October 1837bgcolor=#E6E6AA 5 August 1838
GovernorHendrik Bosch5 August 18387 March 1840
GovernorAnthony van der Eb11 March 18409 June 1846
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Willem George Frederik Derx
Acting during European leave of Van der Eb		bgcolor=#E6E6AA 9 June 1846bgcolor=#E6E6AA 10 July 1847
GovernorAnthony van der Eb
Resumed office upon return from Europe		10 July 184721 September 1852
GovernorHero Schomerus
Acting until 20 January 1853		21 September 185225 September 1856
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Petrus Jacobus Runckelbgcolor=#E6E6AA 25 September 1856bgcolor=#E6E6AA 6 November 1856
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Willem George Frederik Derxbgcolor=#E6E6AA 6 November 1856bgcolor=#E6E6AA 29 April 1857
GovernorJules van den Bossche29 April 18579 September 1857
GovernorCornelis Nagtglas
Acting until 21 June 1858		9 September 18577 May 1860
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Cornelis Meeuwsen
Acting during the European leave of Nagtglas		bgcolor=#E6E6AA 7 May 1860bgcolor=#E6E6AA 21 January 1861
GovernorCornelis Nagtglas
Resumed office upon return from Europe		21 January 186123 June 1862
GovernorHenri Alexander Elias18 October 186212 March 1864
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Carel van Hien
Acting during the European leave of Elias		bgcolor=#E6E6AA 12 March 1864bgcolor=#E6E6AA 13 June 1864
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Hendrik Doijer
Acting during the European leave of Elias		bgcolor=#E6E6AA 13 June 1864bgcolor=#E6E6AA 7 December 1864
GovernorHenri Alexander Elias
Resumed office upon return from Europe		7 December 18644 May 1865
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Arent Magninbgcolor=#E6E6AA 4 May 1865bgcolor=#E6E6AA 19 February 1866
GovernorWillem Hendrik Johan van Idsinga19 February 186617 April 1867
GovernorGeorge Pieter Willem Boers17 April 186715 May 1869
GovernorCornelis Nagtglas15 May 18698 June 1871
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Jan Albert Hendrik Hugenholtzbgcolor=#E6E6AA 8 June 1871bgcolor=#E6E6AA 17 September 1871
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Johannes Wirixbgcolor=#E6E6AA 17 September 1871bgcolor=#E6E6AA 28 October 1871
bgcolor=#E6E6AA bgcolor=#E6E6AA Willem Le Jeunebgcolor=#E6E6AA 28 October 1871bgcolor=#E6E6AA 15 November 1871
Lieutenant GovernorJan Helenus Ferguson15 November 18716 April 1872

See also

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Category:Governors of the Dutch Gold Coast . Michel Doortmont . GCDB-Wiki . 15 April 2012.

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