H.C.F. van Gogh was born in The Hague (Den Haag, actually ‘s Gravenhage) in April 1838.
She was christened Henderica Cecelia Francina van Gogh, but she spelled her name ‘Henderika’ and ‘Hendrika’ in America. Her father was a physician. Both her father and grandfather were named Bastiaan. Her mother was Jacoba Knappert. For generations, the Knapperts lived in the vicinity of Rotterdam, and the van Goghs lived in The Hague.
The “Francina” in Hendrika’s name is significant. There was a Francina in every generation, and Francina Evermans (1665- ) was the mother of all Francinas. Notice that both her father and her son were named Francois. Among Hendrika’s granddaughters, there is both a Francina and a Francoise.
Hendrika was a cousin of the artists Vincent van Gogh and Piet Mondrian. Both artists were descendants of Hendrika’s gggg-grandfather, Gerrit van Gogh.
Here is one of Hendrika’s own illustrations.
Hendrika had a brother and sister, Bastiaan and Maria, in the Netherlands. She had aunts, uncles, and cousins. Several photos of the Knappert family, as well as Emelie Knappert’s cards, appear in Hendrika’s photo album.
Oom (Uncle) Jan Knappert and Tante (Aunt) Jet
Emelie and Coba Knappert.
Hendrika van Gogh is buried by her husband, Rev. F.W.N. Hugenholtz, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her obituary in the Grand Rapids Herald says she came to America with her husband in 1885 to found the Holland Unitarian Church. She “was an energetic and consistent helper in the church work and gained the affection, not only of the church members, but of an extended circle of friends which extended among denominations.”
See the Hugenholtz section for information about Hendrika van Gogh’s three sons and three daughters.