Cors van Smorenburg (ca 1670 – before 1720)

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  1. His childhood

Cors and Metje van Smorenburg were my husband’s great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents. Cors was the son of Arie Jansz Schipper van Smorenburg (1630 or 1635 – 1681) and Willempje Cornelisdr Lubberts (1630 or 1635 – ?). He was born in ca 1670 at Zeist, Utrecht, 1-4 just two years before the French army of King Louis XVI invaded the Dutch Republic in 1672 via the eastern borders of the Gelderland and Utrecht provinces. By 1674, however, Stadtholder William III defeated the French and English forces and peace in the Dutch Republic was restored. William III also became king of England, Scotland and Ireland in 1689.

Cors lived at the height of the Dutch Golden Age. Trade, industry, the arts and the sciences were flourishing and the Republic grew into an commercial giant that the rest of the world could not ignore. By the 17th and 18th centuries, the Dutch were the most economically wealthy and scientifically advanced of all European nations. Cors lived also at the time of the Nine Year’s War (1688 – 1697) and the War of the Spanish Succession (1702 – 1714), but these were fortunately fought just outside the borders of the Republic in the Lower Rhine areas and in the Southern Netherlands. At that time, most of the Dutch provinces were under the leadership of Anthonie Heinsius who was Grand Pensionary from 1689 to 1720 over five provinces, including Utrecht, where the Smorenburgs lived. Heinsius was running the Dutch affairs on behalf of King William III who was based in England and continued to do so after the king’s death in 1702. William IV was appointed Stadtholder in 1711, and Heinius continued in his position as second-in-command (Grand Pensionary) until his own death in 1720.5-10

   2. His wife

The 28 year-old Cors van Smorenburg married 23 year-old Metje Teunisse Hertoch (née Kuijer) on 23 September 1708 at Hamersveld, after they gave notice of their intended marriage on 13 September 1708 at Leusden. Leusden is a town in Utrecht province in the Dutch Republic (or Republic of Seven United Netherlands).1-4,11 Initially, Hamersveld was a small farm village very close to Leusden but in the 1970s, Hamersveld was absorbed into Leusden as the towns expanded their borders.12

Metje was the daughter of Teunis Teunisz Kuijer (ca 1650 – after April 1713) and Seijmetie Hendriks (*ca 1656, Stoutenburg, Utrecht) of Hamersveld. She was born in ca 1685 at Hamersveld and had two brothers, Henrick Teunisz (*ca 1678), Teunis Teunisz (*ca 1680) and two sisters, Hendrikie Teunisse (*ca 1683) and Aaltje Teunisse (*ca 1687).4

Metje Kuijer’s first husband was Jacob Jansz Hertoch who died before 1708. They had no children. Her marriage to Cors van Smorenburg was her second and together they had six children. After the death of Cors, she became an affluent widow and owner of the estate De Oude Tempel op den Berg. Metje later had a relationship with Breunis Jans (*ca 1695) and they had one son, Teunis Breunisz Kuijer (≈3 April 1721, Soest, Utrecht – 20 June 1803, Soest). It is uncertain whether the couple ever married – their son carried his mother’s maiden surname.1,4

Metje died at the age of about 73 years on 10 April 1758 at Soest op den Berg. Her estate was concluded on 20 May 1758 at Utrecht.1,4

   3. His career

The Smorenburgs seemed to have made a good living at Soest, or more specifically at Soest op den Berg (now Soesterberg), which is about 8.5 km south of Soest and 5 km north-east of Zeist. It is uncertain how Cors earned his living but at the time of his death, Metje inherited from the late husband their large estate De Oude Tempel op den Berg and she continued to live there until she died in 1758. How long the estate remained in possession of the Smorenburg family thereafter, is not certain. The lush, 24 hectare, tree-rich estate is situated on the eastern slopes of Soesterberg village, just south of the Amsterdam Road (N237) which was the historic route between Utrecht and Amsterdam. The estate house and its gardens were located on the northern part of the estate, but the original house no longer exists. At one stage, the southern part of the estate was also used for forestry – the monumental 100 year-old lane of beech trees remained as evidence. And at some point, Prince Hendrik (1876 – 1934), husband of Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, had a hunting cabin on the estate. The historic De Oude Tempel estate is currently up for luxury residential development starting in 2018.13-17

   4. His death

It is uncertain when Cors van Smorenburg died. It is most likely before 1720 as Metje had a child in 1721 born from her union with Breunis Jans.1,4

   5. His children

Soon after their marriage at Hamersveld, Cors and Metje moved to Soest.1,4,5 This is based on the fact that all their children were christened at Soest. The couple had six children, listed in records as ‘Smorenburg’ only. They were Jacob (≈12 February 1709, who died before 1710), Jacob (≈25 February 1710, who died before 1716), Arie and Seijmetie (both christened on 23 September 1712) – possibly twins? – Jacob (≈22 March 1716) and Cornelis Corse (≈27 February 1718 – 29 January 1789).1,4

The youngest son of Cors and Metje van Smorenburg, became my husband’s great-great-great-great-great-grandfather. READ MORE on Cornelius Corse Smorenburg.

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  1. Voorouders van Annie Verschuren-van Eck. http://genealogievaneck.blogspot.co.za/p/seisveldsmorenburg
  2. Arie Schipper (van Smorenburg). http://search.ancestry.com
  3. Cors Jansen Schipper. https://www.myheritage.com/names/cors_smorenburg
  4. Gezinsblad Metje Theunisse Kuijer. http://www.gensdvf.nl/FullRecord.csp
  5. Dutch Golden Age. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Golden_Age
  6. Dutch Empire. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_Empire
  7. History of the Netherlands. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Netherlands
  8. William III of England. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_III_of_England
  9. Anthonie Heinius. https://oudeennieuwekerkdelft.nl/oude-kerk/markante-personages/anthonie-heinsius
  10. Anthonie Heinius. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthonie_Heinsius
  11. Utrecht Province, Netherlands. https://www.google.co.za/maps/place/Utrecht,+Netherlands
  12. Leusden. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leusden
  13. Soesterberg. https://www.google.co.za/maps/place/Oude+Tempellaan,+Soesterberg,+Netherlands
  14. De Oude Tempel. http://www.utrechtsebuitenplaatsen.nl/buitenplaats/de-oude-tempel
  15. De Oude Tempel (Soesterberg). https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Oude_Tempel_(Soesterberg)
  16. Oude Tempel – wonen op een landgoed. https://www.soest.nl/soesterberg/oude-tempel-wonen-op-een-landgoed/
  17. Flantzer, S. Prince Hendrik of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Prince Consort of the Netherlands. Unofficial Royalty: The site of royal news and discussion. http://www.unofficialroyalty.com/april-19-daily-featured-royal-date

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