Johan Cateau van Rosevelt

Johannes François Adriaan Cateau van Rosevelt (7 September 1824 – 20 October 1891) was a Dutch navy officer and civil servant in Suriname where he was, among other things, agent-general for immigration and a member of the Colonial Estates of Suriname. He is known for his map of Suriname.

Family Cateau van Rosevelt born in Hattem as the son of François Abraham Cateau of Rosevelt (1786-1848), recipient of taxes, and Antonia van Wijhe (1790-1862) and a grandson of . In 1870 he married the former slave Josephina Leentje Haver (1832-1906),

Career In 1841, Cateau van Rosevelt first arrived in Suriname as ordinary seaman. On 9 January 1845, he returned as warrant officer. He worked as post commander in Commewijne and Nickerie, and studied mathematics and engineering. During that period, he started to create a map of Suriname. Even though he had been promoted officer, he left the navy in 1861.

Between 1868 and 1871, Cateau van Rosevelt was District Commissioner for Lower and Upper Saramacca.

In 1872, Cateau van Rosevelt was appointed the first agent general for immigration. In that position, he oversaw the immigration of contract workers and mediated in labour disputes. He received the first Indo-Surinamese immigrants, who disembarked on 5 June 1873. In 1881, the first version of his map of Suriname was published. Cateau van Rosevelt died on 20 October 1891 in Paramaribo, at the age of 67.

The Rosevelt peak in the interior of Suriname is named after him.

Map The map of Suriname of 1880.