Nicolaas van Staphorst - Muiderberg, NL - American Revolution Patriot Graves on Waymarking.com

Recently a new waymark category was created "Daughters of the American Revolution". I had the opportunity to place a waymark in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The topic of the marker was about the financing of the American Revolution by John Adams with Dutch bankers. This led to me to investigate who was involved and if I could find a grave relating to this activity. So here is the story of my quest and the grave at the end.

Dutch financing:
"The Netherlands finances the US in 1782
The wealth of the Netherlands, acquired in the Golden Age, made the Republic very interesting for other countries. From the end of the seventeenth century, the Netherlands developed into a financier of foreign countries. Many European monarchs and countries called on the Amsterdam capital market and Dutch money penetrated all corners of Europe. From the middle of the eighteenth century, countries from outside Europe also knocked on Amsterdam's door. Which also includes the young United States."
Source: (visit link)

John Adams negotiates with Nicolaas van Staphorst and Willem Willik for the loan of 5.000.000 guilders
"John Adams secured the Dutch Republic’s recognition of the United States as an independent government on April 19, 1782. He also negotiated a loan to the United States of five million guilders, financed by bankers Nicolaas van Staphorst and Wilhelm Willink. In October 1782, he secured the plum – a Treaty of Amity and Commerce with the Netherlands – the first such treaty between the United States and a foreign power following the 1778 treaty with France. The house that Adams bought during this stay in the Netherlands became the first American-owned embassy on foreign soil."
Source: (visit link)

The Daughters of American Revolution mentioning the loan (visit link)

More information about Nicolaas van Staphorst
"Nicolaas van Staphorst (January 1742 – 14 June 1801) was a Dutch banker and financier. Nicolaas and Jacob van Staphorst were involved from 1782-1794 in a total of eleven loans to the United States with a value of 29 million guilders. Van Staphorst also invested with other Dutch investment houses in a series of ventures in the U.S. that developed into the Holland Land Company."
Source: (visit link)

Nicolaas was buried at Muiderberg cemetery (near to Amsterdam)
(visit link)
(search for Staphorst on this page and you will see that the grave is located in section B - Grave 113)

The map of the cemetery can be found here: (visit link) (blue area on the right side of the map)

I visited the site earlier this week and found the grave. A bit disappointing to see that the grave itself was weather worn and could not be read. The small sign showing "113" helped me find the grave.

All in all a nice quest to find this grave. Thanks for this waymark category

Patriot Name: Nicholaas van Staphorst Type of Service Provided: Financier for the US revolutionairy cause Cemetery Name: Algemene begraafplaats Muiderberg Text of the Grave Marker: Unfortunately, the text marker was worn and could not be read Grave Marker Type: Original Historical Background: See long description

Visit Instructions:
Post an origional photo of the specific grave in question. Feel free to photograph new angles or apsects of the site. Include any history not included in the inital waymark.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.