Fock, an old Mennonite family which has held an influential position among the Dutch Mennonites, has produced outstanding leaders in economics and politics into the mid-20th century. In the 18th century its members were among the wealthiest merchants and freighters of Holland. Abraham Fock of Danzig (1695-1759) settled in Amsterdam as a merchant, acquired citizenship in 1723, and became a deacon in the Mennonite church in 1725. From his third marriage with Katharina Fortgens a son Abraham (1732-1796) was born, who married Cornelia de Clercq. His son Jakob Fock, born 15 April 1770, died 21 November 1835, who was a member of the firm Jakob de Clercq, married Johanna de Bondt. He was a deacon 1797-1803 and 1810-1814, and after the Wars of Liberation was made financial adviser to the King of the Netherlands. He was influential in establishing the Bank of Holland, and became its first managing director. He was also the moving spirit in the union between the Lamist and Zonist branches in 1801. His sister Geertruida Margaretha (married to P. Bel) was a deaconess (1804-1809).
Jacob's son, Abraham Fock, born 2 August 1793, died 24 September 1858, married to Alida Johanna van Heekeren, was also director of the Bank of Holland, a deacon 1820-1824 and 1830-1834, besides serving as executive officer of the North and South Holland Widows' Fund. Also his three sons, Jakob, Justus Hendrik, and Cornelis, filled important posts in church and in civil life. Jakob, born 16 May 1817, died 9 December 1891, married Cecilia Dorothea de Kock, and later her sister Sarah Adriana Dorothea, a close friend of J. G. de Hoop Scheffer, and with him set up a fund for the improvement of the salaries of Mennonite preachers. His daughter Cecilia Dorothea (married to J. P. Portielje) was also a deaconess. He was also a director of the Bank of Holland. Justus Hendrik, born 1826, died 1911, was a merchant and deacon (1858-1862). Cornelis, born 29 November 1828, died 9 May 1910, married to Maria Anna Uyttenhoven, was mayor of Vreeland, Wijk-bij-Duurstede, Haarlem and Amsterdam (1866), Minister of the Interior (1868-1871), a member of the second chamber, royal commissioner in South Holland (1872-1900), and chief curator of the University of Leyden. Around 1880 he spent much energy in organizing a Mennonite congregation in The Hague, and became its first deacon. Mention should be made of some of his children: Alida Johanna Jakoba, married to J. W. C. Tellegen, mayor of Amsterdam, Cornelis Fock, born 1871, Rear Admiral and commandant of Den Helder, and Dirk Fock.
Epen, D. G. van. Nederlands Patriciaat VIII (1917): 148-153.
Doopsgezinde Bijdragen (1898): 2, 29-31, 36.
Hege, Christian and Christian Neff. Mennonitisches Lexikon, 4 v. Frankfurt & Weierhof: Hege; Karlsruhe: Schneider, 1913-1967: v. I, 658 f.
 Cite This Article
Vos, Karel. "Fock family." Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. 1956. Web. 1 May 2016. http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Fock_family&oldid=94669.
Vos, Karel. (1956). Fock family. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Retrieved 1 May 2016, from http://gameo.org/index.php?title=Fock_family&oldid=94669.
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