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A guide to the Captain Henri Martinus Van Nieuwenhuysen records, 1937-1961
HDC0597 (SAFR 4)
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Table of contents
Title: Captain Henri Martinus Van Nieuwenhuysen records
Date: 1937-1961
Date (bulk): 1943-1961
Identifier/Call Number: HDC0597 (SAFR 4)
Creator:
Van Nieuwenhuysen, Henri Martinus
Physical Description:
8.6 linear ft.
Repository:
San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department
Building E, Fort Mason
San Francisco, CA 94123
Physical Location: San Francisco Maritime NHP, Historic Documents Department
Language(s):
In English.
This collection is open for use unless otherwise noted.
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The descriptions in this collection guide were compiled using the best available sources of information. Such sources include
the creator's annotations or descriptions, collection accession files, primary and secondary source material and subject matter
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[Item description], [Location within collection organization identified by Collection Number/Series Number/File Unit Number/Item
Number], HDC0597 (SAFR 4), Captain Henri Martinus Van Nieuwenhuysen records, San Francisco Maritime National Historical
Park
SAFR-00001
A private individual donated these items to the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.
Historical or Biographical Note
Henri Martinus Van Nieuwenhuysen was born on August 8, 1894 in Waterfall, South Africa. A subject of Holland, Nieuwenhuysen
became a naturalized American citizen on September 7, 1928. Prior to his naturalization, Nieuwenhuysen married on September
6, 1919 and he and his wife Ethel Nora Van Nieuwenhuysen had four children though the names of only three are known; Barbara
Anna on April 15th, 1923, Hanora Margurate on September 7th, 1924, and Henrietta Albertina on June 3rd, 1926.
Nieuwenhuysen graduated high school in Holland before graduating from navigation school in Rotterdam. Over his life he held
ground instruction licenses for aerial navigation and air meteorology, a certificate in navigation from Humboldt Evening High
School in San Francisco, a license as Master Ocean Steam Vessels Unlimited issued by the U.S. Coast Guard and also the same
license issued from Liberia. He was a licensed ship and charter broker Class A in the State of California. He could speak
read and write Dutch, French & English as well as speak and read German. He was a member of the Organization of Masters, Mates,
and Pilots. He studied Trade and Industrial Teacher Training at the University of California at Los Angeles Division of Vocational
Education in 1940.
Nieuwenhuysen worked for most of his life with oceangoing vessels, setting out to sea in 1912 and receiving his first command
in 1934 of the tow boat Frank B. From 1941 to 1943 he was employed as an associate naval architect and outfitting superintendent
in various shipyards on the west coast constructing war emergency vessels. During this time he served as the trial run master
and port captain for the Richmond Shipbuilding Corporation commanding several ships though their trial runs.
From 1943 to 1949 Nieuwenhuysen sailed as master on various vessels beginning with the SS RING LARDNER as his first captaincy
of a steamship before conducting his own ship chartering and ship agency business, the Trans Oceanic Shipping and Trading
Co. in San Francisco until 1951. He would return to captaining steam vessels in 1951 and continue until 1961 with his last
command of the SS SAXON. Over his career he worked with several shipping and steamship companies including the McCormick Steamship
Company, Prudential Steamship Corp., the Tankship Management Corp., and the Mar-Trade Corp.
The Captain Henri Martinus Van Nieuwenhuysen records (SAFR 4 HDC 597) is comprised personal papers mainly letters of reference
and schoolwork, and documentation of his career. Ships papers include Master's accounts, payroll accounts, ship's articles,
slopchest records, repair records, correspondence, radio messages, allotment requests, customs documents, manifests, crew
lists, and ships logs from his time commanding and performing trial runs on shipping vessels. The collection is predominantly
in English with some Dutch and Spanish. The collection is available for use.
Arranged in chronological order by voyage number.
Night order books kept by Captain Henri Martinus van Nieuwenhuysen, 1943-1960 (SAFR 17246, HDC 329)
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park
Captain Henri Martinus van Nieuwenhuysen photograph, circa 1935-1965 (SAFR 23314, P98-011)
- This material is located at San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park