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Extract of article from :
New Straits Times
(www.nst.com.my)
Lifestyle/Heritage
9th September 1991
To the roots of your family tree
by Sunita Sue Leng
Alex Haley, the author of the novel Roots, once wrote: "One good way to strengthen a family is to research its history."
While that may be true, tracing one's roots also gives one a concept of history. Unfortunately, in Malaysia, the interest in genealogy is lacking.
"People only trace their genealogy only if there is something to be gained from it" says Dr Azizah Kassim, deputy dean at University Malaya's Arts and Social Sciences Department.
"Not many people, particularly descendants of immigrants, trace their ancestry beyond their grandparents."
... Fredrick Van Dort, of the declining Ceylonese Dutch Burgher community, managed to construct an elaborate family tree using only journal records and the National Archives.
Severty-four-year-old Van Dort's rich hybrid ancestry evolved when his great grandfather, Cornelis Jansz Van Dort, arrived by ship in Ceylon in 1700.
"It was fortunate that detail records of our community, including the genealogy of the larger families, were preserved from the 1700s," he says.
He found these in copies of the Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union Of Ceylon while on a trip there 10 years ago.
"I think the journals have been discontinued now."
These records have been instrumental in establishing his Dutch-Singhalese heritage.
Large number of Burghers began arriving in Malaya between 1880 and 1915, and one of whom was his father, Augustus Van Dort.
Mr Van Dort says he managed to locate five members of his family through Government service records at the Archives.
He intends to approach the Dutch Reformed Church in his father's hometown as they were very particular about record-keeping then.
Mr Van Dort interest in his heritage, which began as a pastime after he retired from Lembaga Letrik Negara (the Electricity Board), extends to the whole Eurasian community in Malaysia.
He has notes and genealogy on literally every family, whether of Anglo-Indian, Portuguese or Dutch descent, compiled from epitaphs on tombstones and newspaper reports.
"I spend a lot of time in cemeteries," he says with a laugh.
These tick, filed notes of his are available to anyone who is interested in learning more about their Eurasian ancestry.
Should you want to investigate your ancestry through official channels, the place where records of birth are kept is the Registration Office.
Similarly, marriage records are stored at the Registrar of Marriages while death certificates are at the Registrar of Deaths.
The information in these records, however, are limited.
A place with a wealth of information in the National Archives. There are several sources to consult here but first and foremost, one question needs to be addressed. Was the person a Government servant? If so, the Archives have plenty in store for you.
Firstly, there are State Government gazettes which lists, among other things, the names of civil servants who have been appointed, confirmed or dismissed from posts.
These dates back to the 1880s. Other things contained in the gazettes are property ownership lists, for example people who applied for mining leases, and jury service lists.
Secondly, there are service records for all civil servants which have been preserved for a long time and are not usually destroyed because of pension claims by widows.
These are files on all civil servants containing brief official information about their employment.
There are also staff lists to consult and if it is known that a person was formerly a clerk, then the relevant list will be the clerical lists.
Thirdly, one can scrutinise court records which lists civil and criminal cases, probates and letters of administration.
Surnames are also another source of tracing ancestry. "You can tell if a person is of Portuguese or Dutch family descent from certain names..."
Picture: Mr. Van Dort with his treasured heritage comprising photos of the Van der Wall (his mother's family) coat of arms. He has constructed a family tree using only journals records and the National Archives. NST 9-9-1991
Note: Mr. Fred Van Dort is now deceased but the memory of him lives on as he is still revered by many from a new generation of amateur genealogists in Malaysia as a successful pioneer in his field.
New Straits Times
(www.nst.com.my)
Lifestyle/Heritage
9th September 1991
To the roots of your family tree
by Sunita Sue Leng
Alex Haley, the author of the novel Roots, once wrote: "One good way to strengthen a family is to research its history."
While that may be true, tracing one's roots also gives one a concept of history. Unfortunately, in Malaysia, the interest in genealogy is lacking.
"People only trace their genealogy only if there is something to be gained from it" says Dr Azizah Kassim, deputy dean at University Malaya's Arts and Social Sciences Department.
"Not many people, particularly descendants of immigrants, trace their ancestry beyond their grandparents."
... Fredrick Van Dort, of the declining Ceylonese Dutch Burgher community, managed to construct an elaborate family tree using only journal records and the National Archives.
Severty-four-year-old Van Dort's rich hybrid ancestry evolved when his great grandfather, Cornelis Jansz Van Dort, arrived by ship in Ceylon in 1700.
"It was fortunate that detail records of our community, including the genealogy of the larger families, were preserved from the 1700s," he says.
He found these in copies of the Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union Of Ceylon while on a trip there 10 years ago.
"I think the journals have been discontinued now."
These records have been instrumental in establishing his Dutch-Singhalese heritage.
Large number of Burghers began arriving in Malaya between 1880 and 1915, and one of whom was his father, Augustus Van Dort.
Mr Van Dort says he managed to locate five members of his family through Government service records at the Archives.
He intends to approach the Dutch Reformed Church in his father's hometown as they were very particular about record-keeping then.
Mr Van Dort interest in his heritage, which began as a pastime after he retired from Lembaga Letrik Negara (the Electricity Board), extends to the whole Eurasian community in Malaysia.
He has notes and genealogy on literally every family, whether of Anglo-Indian, Portuguese or Dutch descent, compiled from epitaphs on tombstones and newspaper reports.
"I spend a lot of time in cemeteries," he says with a laugh.
These tick, filed notes of his are available to anyone who is interested in learning more about their Eurasian ancestry.
Should you want to investigate your ancestry through official channels, the place where records of birth are kept is the Registration Office.
Similarly, marriage records are stored at the Registrar of Marriages while death certificates are at the Registrar of Deaths.
The information in these records, however, are limited.
A place with a wealth of information in the National Archives. There are several sources to consult here but first and foremost, one question needs to be addressed. Was the person a Government servant? If so, the Archives have plenty in store for you.
Firstly, there are State Government gazettes which lists, among other things, the names of civil servants who have been appointed, confirmed or dismissed from posts.
These dates back to the 1880s. Other things contained in the gazettes are property ownership lists, for example people who applied for mining leases, and jury service lists.
Secondly, there are service records for all civil servants which have been preserved for a long time and are not usually destroyed because of pension claims by widows.
These are files on all civil servants containing brief official information about their employment.
There are also staff lists to consult and if it is known that a person was formerly a clerk, then the relevant list will be the clerical lists.
Thirdly, one can scrutinise court records which lists civil and criminal cases, probates and letters of administration.
Surnames are also another source of tracing ancestry. "You can tell if a person is of Portuguese or Dutch family descent from certain names..."
Picture: Mr. Van Dort with his treasured heritage comprising photos of the Van der Wall (his mother's family) coat of arms. He has constructed a family tree using only journals records and the National Archives. NST 9-9-1991
Note: Mr. Fred Van Dort is now deceased but the memory of him lives on as he is still revered by many from a new generation of amateur genealogists in Malaysia as a successful pioneer in his field.