Herman op den Graeff
Encyclopedia
Herman op den Graeff was a Mennonite
community leader and bishop
from Krefeld
.
, the son of disputed origins.
During the Thirty Years' War
, many genealogical records housed in churches were destroyed, and attempts to reconstruct Op den Graeff's genealogy were made in the late 1600s in Germany
. One reconstruction, entitled "The Works of Gabriel Bincelint" and printed in 1662, had Herman descending from the House of Graben von Stein
through Wolfgang von Graben
. The De Graeff
line of the Netherlands which descended from Wolfgang von Graben were a family of merchants who later became Dutch patrician regents and nobles. Another reconstruction had Op den Graeff descending from the House of Cleves, including possibly through John II, Duke of Cleves
' "kindermacher" lines.
Archeological evidence, such as a coat-of-arms in his possession, suggest a descent from the House of Cleves. Biographical sources suggest one of his parents was surnamed Van de Aldekerk. When he married, he was registered as Herman zu Graff allegedly. The family legend thus equates him as being an illegitimate descendant from the House of Cleves paternally who was given his mother's maternal name from the House of Graben von Stein.
Despite this, his origins remain disputed and claims of descent from the House of Cleves and House of Graben von Stein are unproven.
Founders, who arrived on the ship Concord on October 6, 1683. Among these families were three op den Graeff brothers, including grandson Abraham op den Graeff
, a cousin of William Penn
, the founder of Pennsylvania
.
Pennsylvania Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker was Herman's sixth-great grandson.
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
community leader and bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
from Krefeld
Krefeld
Krefeld , also known as Crefeld until 1929, is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located northwest of Düsseldorf, its centre lying just a few kilometres to the west of the River Rhine; the borough of Uerdingen is situated directly on the Rhine...
.
Origin
Herman op den Graeff was born November 26, 1585 in Aldekerk, GermanyKerken
Kerken with the towns of Aldekerk, Eyll, Nieukerk and Stenden, is a municipality in the district of Kleve in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located near the border with the Netherlands, approx. 15 km north-east of Venlo....
, the son of disputed origins.
During the Thirty Years' War
Thirty Years' War
The Thirty Years' War was fought primarily in what is now Germany, and at various points involved most countries in Europe. It was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history....
, many genealogical records housed in churches were destroyed, and attempts to reconstruct Op den Graeff's genealogy were made in the late 1600s in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. One reconstruction, entitled "The Works of Gabriel Bincelint" and printed in 1662, had Herman descending from the House of Graben von Stein
House of Graben von Stein
Von Graben von Stein, also named, Ab dem Graben, Von Graben and Vom Graben, is the name of an old Austrian noble family...
through Wolfgang von Graben
Wolfgang von Graben
Wolfgang von Graben, also Wolfgang de Groben , was a member of the Austrian nobility.- Biography :...
. The De Graeff
De Graeff
De Graeff is an old Dutch patrician family. The family have played an important role during the Dutch Golden Age. They were at the centre of Amsterdam public life and oligarchy from 1578 until 1672...
line of the Netherlands which descended from Wolfgang von Graben were a family of merchants who later became Dutch patrician regents and nobles. Another reconstruction had Op den Graeff descending from the House of Cleves, including possibly through John II, Duke of Cleves
John II, Duke of Cleves
John II, "The Pious" or "The Babymaker", Duke of Cleves, Count of Mark, was a son of John I, Duke of Cleves and Elizabeth of Nevers. He ruled Cleves from 1481 to his death in 1521...
' "kindermacher" lines.
Archeological evidence, such as a coat-of-arms in his possession, suggest a descent from the House of Cleves. Biographical sources suggest one of his parents was surnamed Van de Aldekerk. When he married, he was registered as Herman zu Graff allegedly. The family legend thus equates him as being an illegitimate descendant from the House of Cleves paternally who was given his mother's maternal name from the House of Graben von Stein.
Despite this, his origins remain disputed and claims of descent from the House of Cleves and House of Graben von Stein are unproven.
Life
Herman op den Graeff was a wealthy linen weaver and merchant. In 1605 he removed to Kempen where he met and married on August 6, 1605 Greitgen Pletjes (or Greitje Pletjes) (1588–1643). They moved to Krefeld in 1609.Krefeld Mennonite Church
In Krefeld Op den Graeff became a leader and bishop of the Mennonite community, and in 1632 was one of two Krefeld Mennonite Church delegates to sign the Confessions of Faith.Descendants
Some of Herman up den Graeff's descendents migrated to the United States. They are among the thirteen families often referred to as the Germantown, Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaGermantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Germantown is a neighborhood in the northwest section of the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, about 7–8 miles northwest from the center of the city...
Founders, who arrived on the ship Concord on October 6, 1683. Among these families were three op den Graeff brothers, including grandson Abraham op den Graeff
Abraham op den Graeff
Abraham Isacks op den Graeff was an original settler of Germantown, Pennsylvania as well as a politician, award-winning merchant, and signer of the first organized religious protest against slavery in colonial America...
, a cousin of William Penn
William Penn
William Penn was an English real estate entrepreneur, philosopher, and founder of the Province of Pennsylvania, the English North American colony and the future Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He was an early champion of democracy and religious freedom, notable for his good relations and successful...
, the founder of Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
.
Pennsylvania Governor Samuel Whitaker Pennypacker was Herman's sixth-great grandson.
The Legend of the Lohengrin Swan
A fictional book published in 2011 by Nancy Dellinger entitled the "The Legend of the Lohengrin Swan" plots Op den Graeff as a central figure leading during the tumultuous religious divisions and wars of the period.Further reading
- Bender, Harold S. (1957) Graeff, op den (Opdegraf, Updegrave, Updegrove) family. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online. Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia OnlineGlobal Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia OnlineThe Global Anabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online is an online encyclopedia of topics relating to Mennonites and Anabaptism. The mission of the project is to provide free, reliable, English-language information on anabaptist-related topics....
- Ulle, R.F. (1983) The Original Germantown Families. Mennonite Family History April.