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At Middelharnis, more than in any other town of our country
(the Netherlands), we find abundant remembrances to the Kolff
family. For more than two centuries members of the Kolff family
have lived here. In certain periods even several households
at the same time. They worked there, took on several tasks,
in short they did what they could find to do. This article
serves to introduce the diversity of those activities such
as their entrepeneurship. With that it also shows the amazing
recourcefullness and flexibility of the 'elite' in a small
provincial town that was Middelharnis.
The activities of our family at the island of Overflakkee
start in 1710, when Cornelis Kolff (C
Xc) (1685-1759) says farewell to The Hague and settles
at Middelharnis at notary public. He would also be secretary
and receiver of taxes, as well as bailiff, of the manor of
Middelharnis. He did not stop at these gouverning activities:
rather he spread his risks and invested for example in a ship.
However, after his wife died in 1738 he left the island and
moved to Maassluis, his place of birth. |
