Abraham de Vries

Portrait of Abraham de Vries in the Haarlem Public Library, ca. 1850 by Jan Kieft

Abraham de Vries (20 April 1773 in Amsterdam – 3 November 1862 in Haarlem) was a Dutch Mennonite minister, author on literature and member of several societies, mainly literary ones.

Life Abraham was born as the son of merchant Gerrit de Vries and his wife Catherina de Bosch (sister of the poet Hieronymus de Bosch) as brother to Jeronimo de Vries (author). He studied at the Latin School of Amsterdam and was considered to be one of the better students and at the Mennonite Atheneum from 1788 until 1792 and then he studied for teacher at the Mennonite pedagogical academy. In 1795 he was, as a Patriot, appointed as adjunct secretary to the "Committé van Algemeen Welzijn" (Committee of General Welfare) by the Provisional Government with the promise he were to be relieved when a new government would have been elected - but then accepted a permanent position at this Secretariat.

In 1799 he graduated and accepted a post as a Mennonite minister in Wormerveer, Grouw, Franeker and Nijmegen. of Teylers Eerste Genootschap (a theological society connected with Teylers Stichting and Teylers Museum, awarding annually essay prizes), of several regional societies, the Hollandsche Maatschappij and honorary member of the Maatschappij der Nederlandse Letterkunde in Leiden. He published several other works about literature.

Abraham de Vries was married to Hillegonda van Geuns (daughter of a Haarlem Mennonite minister) and they had two sons and two daughters. He was the father of Gerrit de Vries (prime minister of the Netherlands from 1872 to 1874 and member of the Raad van State) and Prof. M. de Vries.

Dozens of letters to and from De Vries are kept in Leiden University Library.

Publications Haarlem's regt op de eer van de uitvinding der boekdrukkunst gehandhaafd, of beknopt overzigt van den stand der zaak, vooral na het onderzoek van den heer De Vries en de toelichtingen van de heeren Schinkel en Noordziek. Amsterdam, Binger, 1843 Abr. de Vries': Bewijzen voor de echtheid en gelijkenis der oude afbeeldingen van Coster. Ter wederlegging van het "Iets" van den heer Van Westreenen; ten voordeele van het fonds voor de oprigting van het standbeeld. Haarlem, Kruseman, 1847 [Abraham de Vries]: Catalogus Bibliothecae Publicae Harlemensis. Harlemi, apud Johannem Enschedé et Filios, 1848. First suppl.: 1852. Second suppl.: 1864.

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