Property in Delft owned by members
of Leeuwenhoek's extended family

the van den Berch family


Beestenmarkt 8

Grandfather Jacob Sebastians van den Berch (-1615)


Buitenwatersloot 208 and 214

Uncle Johan Jacobs van den Berch, no dates, married in 1633.


Koornmarkt 44

In the Delft archives, the Collectie Losse aanwinsten has three records for this house: 1649, 1783. and 1784. The April 27, 1649, transaction is recorded in charter number 6021. It covered both the house, by then called the Witte Hert, as well as its property and garden, and a gate, called Sackgen, that led to the Pontemarkt (Brabantse Turfmarkt). Nicolaes van der Mast sold it to Robbertus Junius, a preacher. Thonis Leeuwenhouck, Antony's grandfather, is noted as owning the adjoining property to the east, which was Brabantse Turfmarkt 71. Cornelis Sebastiaens van den Berch, who died in 1639, is noted as the previous owner, with no indication of when he sold it to van der Mast.


Koornmarkt 72

Both properties have the same history. The smaller may have been a storehouse for either fabrics or beer or both (van Seters 1952). Great-grandfather Sebastian Cornelis van den Berch (-1605) paid the 1620 verponding 206r3a. In a transaction on 1619 07/01, notary Gerrit Adriaens van der Wel, He gave it to his daughter great-aunt Aeltge Sebastians van den Berch (-1649), who paid the 1632-1654 verponding 212v2a along with Jan Jacobs van den Berch, her nephew and Antony's uncle. Van Seters (1952) says that it was in the family of Antony's mother's side from 1543 - 1655, thus no sale letter. But van Hasselt didn't become a notary until 1658, so the sale to him must have been after van Seters' date.

House name: De Bel or De Vergulde Bel


Oude Delft 253

Great-uncle Johan (Jan) Sebastians van den Berch (1570-1644) owned it and paid the 1632-1654 verponding 520r1.


Oude Langendijk 22

Great uncle Johan Sebastiaans (d 1644) or uncle Johan Jacobs?