Person:Jan De Vries (2)

BIOGRAPHY: Jan Durks was born in in Opeinde (province of Friesland) in 1862, son of Dirk Jans de Vries and Aaltje Sipkes Boringa who were married in 1858.

BIOGRAPHY: Married Elisabeth Jans Wijmenga September 4 1886 in the Gereformeerde Kerk (Netherlands Reformed Church). They had 6 children.

BIOGRAPHY: He was first a teacher in Wommels and Garyp, then became principal of the Christian school and later the Christian high school both in Bergum. In 1909 he became the inspector of education in the district of Dokkum. From 19111-1913 he taught at the teachers college in Groningen. Also, for years he was the adjudicator for the teachers college. In 1921 he was the inspector of education in Leeuwarden, the capital of Friesland. From 1922-1928 he was inspector of education in Winschoten.

BIOGRAPHY: He was very active in organizational, community and political life. In 1897 he ran as candidate for Second Chamber of provincial government for the riding of Tietjerksteradeel, where he had as opponent P.J. Troelstra (lawyer).

BIOGRAPHY: 1st vote results: J.D. deVries (Anti Revolutionary (Christian party)) 1867

                 Troelstra (Social party)                            1149
                 De Kanter (Liberal)                                  842
                 L.W. deVries (Catholic)                              392

BIOGRAPHY: 2nd vote: Troelstra 2672

                 J.D. deVries                                        2432

BIOGRAPHY: He was a great and very active proponent of Christian education, which was struggling for equality with public education. Many places in Friesland fought hard politically for their Christian schools.

BIOGRAPHY: In 1898 started the political voice of the A.R. (Christian) party: the well known paper "De Vrÿe Fries" (The Free Friesian). J.D. de Vries was its editor for many years.

BIOGRAPHY: He was made an officer in the Order of Orange Nassau by the queen/king.

BIOGRAPHY: Died at age 68 in 1931 in Ermelo and was buried in Bergum at the foundation of the "cross" church. In the town of Bergum, a street was named after J.D. deVries in 1960. Although he and his family were criticized for their outreach outside of Friesland, he was honored as a figure of much more than just local (Bergum) significance.

BIOGRAPHY: Elisabeth Hietkamp (grand-daughter) 1994

BIOGRAPHY: The following is a piece that was published in a local paper in Bergum, Friesland, 1960.

BIOGRAPHY: 1960. Jan Durks de Vries is honoured by a street name.

BIOGRAPHY: People will complain (sometimes rightly so) that some town councils, usually by their own ingenuity, solve the problem of naming streets on our town by taking the easy way out. They name streets for just any men of the past or even the present.

 The always threatening small town attitude, where'

one eye is king in the land of the blind',sometimes creates strange opportunities. In the future some people will ask who could have come up with the idea to immortalize certain local heroes, even mayors.

BIOGRAPHY: When, however, in Bergum a streetname plate mentions J.D de Vries, the critics have to keep silent, because Jan Durks de Vries was a figure of more than local renown. Therefore we think it right to recall some of the highlights of his life.

BIOGRAPHY: Jan Durks de Vries came from Wouden. He was born in Opeinde in 1862, as son of Dirk Jans de Vries and Aaltje Sipkes Borenga, who were married on May 12th, 1858. Jan Durks married Elisabeth Jans Wymenga on September 4, 1888 and their union was affirmed in the Netherlands Reformed church in Garyp by Rev. J. Wisse.

BIOGRAPHY: After teaching in Garyp and Wommels, in 1886 he was appointed as principal of the Christian Elementary school in Bergum..... In 1890 he became the director of the Christian Teachers Academy there.

 In 1909 Jan Durks de Vries received his appointment

to School Inspector of the Region of Dokkum, after which he was appointed as Superintendent of the District of Leeuwarden. (the capital of the Province of Friesland)

BIOGRAPHY: He finished his career in Winschoten, where he also worked as School Inspector from 1922-1928.

 During the years 1911-1913 de VRies taught at the

Christian Teachers College in Groningen, where he also sat as examiner for Teachers Diploma's for many years.

BIOGRAPHY: In society as in political life, Jan Durks was particularly active. In 1897 he established his name as parliamentary candidate for the House of Commons representing the District of Tietjerksteradeel. His opponent Mr. P.J. Troelstra, won this election on the second ballot from this representative of the Anti-Revolutionary Party in the Concil of Tietjerksteradeel and the Provincial Parliament of Friesland.

 It was this close:

First vote:J.D.de Vries (A.R.) 1867

          Troelstra (S.D.A.P.) 1149
          de Kanter (lib.)      842
          L.W.de Vries (C.H.)   392

Second vote: Troelstra 2672

            J.D.de Vries       2432

BIOGRAPHY: In 1898 he started the well known paper "de Vrye Fries" (the Free Friesian) for the Anti-Revolutionay Party. This paper was printed in Drachten and de Vries was editor for many years. Jan Durks, whose service to the Friesian and the Christian causes was rewarded with the appointment by the Queen to the Order of Oranje Nassau, died in 1931, in Ermeloo (where he lived with his daughter Aaltje), 68 years old. His last resting place can be found at the foot of the old Cross Church in Bergum.

1. ↑ naar Winschoten