Krijt, Samuel Jacob.

Information known so far:

Born at The Hague 3 Dec. 1843 as soon of Albertus Krijt and Cornelia Schuller.

Described in the archive of the  Governmental Seaman’s Agency in Dordrecht( established for Engagement / signing off ships crews) in 1866 as being 1.68 meters high with light blond hair, blue eyes and being in good health.

On 23 June 1866 he is 3rd Officer on the medium size Clipper  Kosmopliet 1 (Company Gbr. Blusse van Oud Alblas, Dordrecht, Capt. Jurgen de Groot pennant D89) and engaged  for a voyage to Batavia.

On 18 May 1871 he marries at Dordrecht Margrietha Christina van Wijk (06 April 1848 Dordrecht – 02 August 1917 Voorburg) she was a daughter of Pieter van Wijk and Johanna Willemina van Roosendaal.

Childern:

Albertus ( 01 march 1872 Rotterdam – 05 November 1876 Dordrecht)

Pieter (02 June 1874 Dordrecht – 24 March 1943 Amerongen)

Albertus (27 November 1876 Dordrecht – ?? )

Cornelia (22 November 1878 Rotterdam – ??)

Samuel Jacob (31 December 1880 Rotterdam – ?? ) His son sailed for the KPM from Amsterdam in the East Indies.  (a, d)

He seemed to have remained with this ship and or the company as on 16 Aug. 1870 he  is 1st mate on the same ship for a voyage to Batavia (Now Captain Hendrik Dienske, Pennant D 7)

From 07 July 1871 until 1874 he still is with the same ship as First Mate. (Capt. Teunis Huizer pennant D 13)  (b)

An interesting coincidence is that the Master on the clipper Kosmopoliet 2 was Captain Chevalier who also joined Holland America in 1877 so they must have come over together.

Then he joined NASM in July 1877. His first ship was the ss Maas, later renamed in Maasdam when the company streamlined the naming system. The Maas was the 2nd ship of the company built for the forebear of the NASM, the C.V Plate & Reuchlin company.

Upon promotion to captain he was awarded Pennant R 50 of the Rotterdam Seaman college (sort of a mutual insurance company “Maatschappij to Nut der Zeevaart”. He was allowed to fly the pennant (which helped with the ships recognition at sea, but could not derive any financial benefits of being a member.

Sailing List: (c)

Sailing Date:       Function                              Ship                       Wages

20 Jul. 1877         2^nd officer                             Maas                    60,–

08 Apr.  1878      First officer                         Rotterdam         90,–

?? Dec.  1878      First officer                         P.  Caland            100,–

02 Jun.  1882       Captain                                 Rotterdam          200,—

The ss Rotterdam I stranded on 26 Sep. 1883  and the ship was declared a Totall Loss.

As Holland America did not have a replacement command, Captain Krijt left the company.

?? Oct. 1883                                                        Dismissed.

(Please that dismissed in 1880’s meant voyage completed not working for the company until the next voyage starts. In those days crews were not paid, when not sailing)

It seems that he did not return to sea but became a Teacher at the Nautical School at Scheveningen and was later the Director of the School. He retired on 24 October 1910 and passed away on 9 December 1921 in the roman Catholic hospital at The Hague. After his retirement he continued to live at Scheveningen which is the port / fishing village attached to the city of the Hague.

He was noted in 1888  to be part of the Committee for organising the festivities for celebrating that 75 years ago (30 Nov. 1813)  Prins Willem Fredrik, later King Willem I landed at Scheveningen to restore the Dutch Monarchy after the occupation by Napoleon.

Sources:

a. E.H Kruidhof for genealogy information

b. Piet’s Scheepsvaartindex

c. Personnel information “Stamboek” Holland America Line archives as held by the Municipal Archives of the City of Rotterdam.

d. Jan F Krijt February 2020: I have added some updates provided by Mr. J.F Krijt which is the Great Grandson (*) of the Captain for which my thanks.  These pertains to the period before joining HAL and after leaving.  The first son of Captain Krijt, also a Samuel, did not go to sea but his son did and also his great grandson.

(e) February 2020:  picture of the Kosmopoliet 1 found on the website:   https://blokland.dordtenazoeker.nl/deel1_13.htm

(f) Authors Collection.

Last updated: 05 March 2021