Acker Stratingh Archive

Title: Acker Stratingh Collection

Source of acquisition: Acker Stratingh, Gozewinus (1804-1876), physician and classicist

Dates: 1829-1866

Extent (physical): 30 cm.

Language (materials): Dutch

Abstract: Scientific archive containing manuscript maps, annotations and correspondence concerning the development of the Kaart van de provincie Groningen met aanduiding van de grondgesteldheid en den waterstaat (…), 1837.

Collection identifier: UBG006

Owner: University Library Groningen

Physical location: University Library Groningen

Biography

Gozewinus Acker Stratingh was born on 25 March 1804 in Adorp. He was the son of reverend Everardus Stratingh, and Margien Cleveringa. When he was three years old, his education was continued by his uncle Sibrandus E. Stratingh, professor of medicine at Groningen University. On 21 August 1829 he married Katharina Johanna Pelinck. In this marriage a daughter and two sons were born. Acker Stratingh died on 22 October 1876 in Groningen.

Acker Stratingh began his medicine studies in Groningen at the age of 16. Together with his fellow student R. Westerhoff he attended classes in subjects that got his attention as well, such as geology, natural history and the study of the antiquity. He successfully joined various academic competitions in these fields, for which he was awarded with two prizes (in 1822 and 1824). He also received an honorary award by the Commission for Education of the Province of Groningen for his booklet Natuurlijke historie der provincie Groningen, which he wrote together with Westerhoff.

In 1828 Acker Stratingh was promoted to doctor of medicine. Between 1830 and 1831 he served as health officer in the first battalion of the Groningen civic guards. Afterwards, he worked as a physician until he abandoned his office, so he could devote himself completely to the study of Dutch history in general and specifically the history of the province of Groningen. An important study he wrote is Aloude staat en geschiedenis des vaderlands (3 vols., Groningen 1847-1852). Partly due to this work Acker Stratingh was appointed as Matheseos Magister et Philosophiae Naturalis Doctor at Groningen University. He also became member of a series of literary and scientific societies (at Groningen, Utrecht, Leiden, Friesland, Emden and the Royal Academy of Sciences).

Next to his work as a physician and a scientist, Acker Stratingh fulfilled many other societal duties. He was an elder in the Dutch Reformed Church and custodian of this church, member of the local school committee, member of the medicinal inspectorate of Groningen and Friesland, voluntary teacher at the Agricultural School in Haren (1842-1865), member of the editorial board of the scientific journal Gruno (1849), co-founder of the journal Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis van de oudheidkunde, inzonderheid van de provincie Groningen (1864-1873) and member of the founding committee of the Provincial Museum of the Antiquity (1874).

Acker Stratingh has made important contributions to the research of the wierden or ancient artificial hills and the condition of the soil in the province of Groningen. He also contributed to the knowledge and the development of agriculture, water supplies and the system of dikes in Holland.

A selection from Acker Stratingh’s publications:

• Natuurlijke historie der provincie Groningen, vol. 1 (with R. Westerhoff) Groningen 1839

• De bodem en de wateren van Nederland, Groningen 1847

• Aloude staat en geschiedenis des Vaderlands, 3 vols., Groningen 1847-1852

• ‘Over de oorsprong van de munt en het wapen der stad Groningen’, Gruno 1849

• De Dollard of geschied- aardrijks- en natuurkundige beschrijving van dezen boesem der Eems (with G.A. Venema), Groningen 1855

• A series of important essays was published in Bijdragen tot de geschiedenis en oudheidkunde, inzonderheid van de provincie Groningen (1864-1873), including: ‘De Eems, vooral de beneden- Eems, als handel- en grensstroom beschouwd’, 1865; ‘Marken in Friesland’, 1865; ‘Twee hoofdstukken uit de geschiedenis van ons dijkwezen, herzien’, 1866; ‘De Maren, beschouwd als oude grensscheidingen der marken in de oud-friesche streken der provincie Groningen’, 1871

Scope and contents

The collection contains manuscript maps, annotations and correspondence concerning the development of the Kaart van de provincie Groningen met aanduiding van de grondgesteldheid en den waterstaat (…), 1837.

Conditions Governing Access

The collection is available for research. An access card of the Groningen University Library is required to consult it.

Conditions Governing Use

The materials in this collection can only be consulted at the Study Room of the Special Collections department. Consultation is subject to the Special Collections Room rules. Reproduction, where allowed, is in accordance with the Tarifs and services of the Groningen University Library.

The publishing rights rest with the Groningen University Library, the owner of this collection.

Citation

References to this collection should at least once contain the complete name of the collection, without abbreviations. Afterwards, an abbreviated reference will suffice.

• collection: Groningen University Library, Collection Gozewinus Acker Stratingh

• separate parts: Groningen, UB, Acker Stratingh [number]

There is an inventory of this collection.

Request

The materials in this collection can be requested by sending a mail to the Special Collections Department.

Literature

• J.C.G. Boot, ‘Levensbericht van Gosewinus Acker Stratingh’, Jaarboek van de Koninklijke Akademie voor Wetenschappen (1877), 1-4.

• Nieuw Nederlands Biografisch Woordenboek (Amsterdam 1974), 1206-1208.

• H.O. Feith, ‘Levensschets van Dr. Gozewinus Acker Stratingh’, Handelingen en medeedelingen van de Maatschappij der Nederlandsche Letterkunde te Leiden (Leiden 1877), 27-41.