Jacobus Deketh

Jacobus Deketh (or de Keth) (Harlingen, 1726 – Zeewijk (Almenum), 26 July 1764) was a captain in the Frisian Admiralty,[2] one of the five admiralties of the Dutch Republic. In 1744 at the age of 18, Deketh joined the Admiralty of Amsterdam. He became a lieutenant and later extraordinary captain and sailed to the Dutch East Indies.[3] In 1758, Deketh continued his career in the Frisian Admiralty. He became captain of a ship, Edam. He was appointed full captain of the Frisian Admiralty in 1760.[3]

Captain

Jacobus Deketh
Jacobus Deketh in 1761, painting in the collection of Frisian Maritime Museum[1]
Birth nameJacobus Deketh
Born1726
Harlingen, Friesland
Died26 July 1764
Zeewijk (Almenum)
AllegianceDutch Republic
Service/branchAdmiralty of Amsterdam, Admiralty of Friesland
RankCaptain (naval)
Commands heldPrins Willem, frigate
RelationsParents, Jan Deket(h), Anna Goverts Gardin(g)ius

Early life and family

Jacobus Deketh was the youngest son of Jan Goverts Deket(h) and Anna Gardin(g)ius. On 9 April 1726, he was baptized in the Great Church (Grote Kerk) in Harlingen.[4] He had three brothers: Govardus, born 1717,[5] Reiner, born 1719,[6] and Everhardus,[7] born in 1722.

Although his father's origins are unknown it is likely that he came from Jutland in Denmark.[3] In 1701, his father got a job in the receiver-general's office of the Frisian Admiralty, and in 1721 Jacobus Deketh became receiver-general himself. His mother, Anna Gardinius, was also associated with the Frisian Admiralty, being the widow of Captain Peter Coderq,[8] before becoming the third wife of Jan Goverts Deketh.[3]

Career

In 1744 at the age of 18, Deketh joined the Admiralty of Amsterdam. During his service there he first became a lieutenant and later extraordinary captain and sailed to the Dutch East Indies protecting merchant ships.[3] After 1758, Deketh continued his career in the Frisian Admiralty. He commanded the ship Edam.[9] In 1759 he was appointed full captain and in 1760 he commanded the Prins Willem, a frigate with 36 guns.[3] In this ship he escorted several convoys sailing to Italy, England and France. He made four journeys to the Mediterranean Sea between 1761 and 1763. On behalf of the Dutch Republic he undertook several diplomatic visits to Algiers. He brought gifts with him on these voyages to propitiate the Barbary pirates who at that time made the Mediterranean unsafe.[8]

Deketh died at home in Almenum on 26 July 1764, only 38 years old. His death is recorded on a plaque in the Grote Kerk in Harlingen.[10] Deketh's estate included a stable, orangery, gardening shed, carriage house and farm house.[11] His portrait was painted on 13 July 1761 in Livorno by Ranieri Ducci. In the painting he is surprisingly holding a book with the English title Guardian Volume 1, which during a restoration of the picture was discovered to have been a later pentimento, covering a miniature of a lady.[3] The Fries Scheepvaartmuseum purchased the painting from a man from 's-Hertogenbosch, who was discovered to possess it when he showed it in an episode of Tussen Kunst & Kitsch, the Dutch version of the Antiques Roadshow.[3]

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References
  1. "Ranieri Ducci - Portrait of Jacobus Deketh". friesscheepvaartmuseum.nl. Retrieved 13 September 2016.
  2. Brugman, Gitte (3 April 2009). "Musea Verleiden Publiek". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). Leeuwarden. p. 2. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  3. ten Hoeve, Sytse (14 October 1994). "Een Kapteinsportret Geeft Een Geheim Prijs". Leeuwarder Courant (in Dutch). Leeuwarden. p. 30. Retrieved 5 April 2012. Article also has parts at this and this
  4. "Herv. gem. Grote Kerk Harlingen, doop 1724–1739". DTB 326 Genealogisch Onderzoek. Tresoar. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  5. "Herv. gem. Grote Kerk Harlingen, doop 1699–1724". Tresoar. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  6. "Herv. gem. Grote Kerk Harlingen, doop 1699–1724". Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  7. "Herv. gem. Grote Kerk Harlingen, doop 1699–1724". Tresoar. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  8. "Maritime Museum". Archived from the original on 2007-10-08.
  9. "Netherlands Archive items 2393, 2394 ships logs" (in Dutch). Nationaal Archief. Retrieved May 20, 2012.
  10. van de Gaast, J. (2001). "Lijst van grafschriften in de Grote of Nederlands Hervormde kerk" (in Dutch). Harlingen. pp. GK 40–1. Retrieved 5 April 2012.
  11. "Archief Leeuwarder Courant". Leeuwarder Courant. 12 Dec 1764. p. 3. Retrieved 19 April 2012.

Further reading
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