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Complete Collected Letters

Volumes 18, 19, and 20 of Alle de Brieven / Collected Letters became available at the end of 2024, completing the series begun in 1939. Download for free.

Which number?

Master list (pdf) of all 602 L-numbers, their Leeuwenhoek number, and their Collected Letters number

Life in Holland

in the 1600's

The Wine Drinker

Woman Feeding a Cat

The Apothecary

Man Writing a Letter

The Virginal Lesson

Work in Holland

in the 1600's

Merchant

Stone mason

Potter

Physician

Chronology of Wills

... mostly by Leeuwenhoek and his daughter Maria

October 20, 1633 father-in-law Elias de Meij made a will
December 1, 1637 father Philips Thonis Leeuwenhoek made a will in Den Haag
April 2, 1643 grandfather Thonis Phillips Leeuwenhoek (-1643) made a will
January 18, 1649 great-aunt Aaltge Sebastians van den Berch made will
October 21, 1653 wife Barbara de Meij and sister-in-law Maria de Meij made a will
January 17, 1661 cousin Cornelia Abrahams Swalmius made a will
October 23, 1662 Made will in which he and wife Barbara named each other universal heirs
March 11, 1667 Presented will after wife Barbara's death
December 7, 1693 wife Cornelia Swalmius made a will
December 26, 1693 wife Cornelia Swalmius made a will including Maria
February 11, 1712 Made will; he and daughter Maria universal heirs
January 12, 1717 niece Maria Jans de Molijn's widowed husband Cornelis Haaxman's estate inventoried
June 26, 1719 Made will with daughter Maria
November 17, 1721 Made will with daughter Maria
November 26, 1721 Amended will of November 17
November 30, 1721 Presented will of November 17 to notary Jan de Bries
August 7, 1732 Maria van Leeuwenhoek added codicil to 1721 will
June 24, 1741 Maria van Leeuwenhoek made a will charging the Kamer van Charitate with cleaning and maintaining the Oude Kerk memorial
September 15, 1746 Maria's van Leeuwenhoek's estate partly distributed to her heirs

Public records about his relatives' and friends' ...

  • Baptisms
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Life in Holland

in the 1600's

Hear it, Sing it
Three Kings Feast (Bean King)
Tavern Scene
Woman hands over money to her servant

Woman Reading Letter

Mother with Cradle