History of Statia

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A brief history of Sint Eustatius

The island was seen by Christopher Columbus in 1493 and claimed by an astonishing welter of nations over the next 150 years. Francis Drake and John Hawkins named the island in their logs Estazia (1595). Later on it is named Stasia, Eustathio, San Eustachio, and Saint or Sint Eustatius.

The chamber of Zeeland of the Dutch West India Company colonized Sint Eustatius in 1636. With the islands Sint Maarten and Saba it fell under direct command of Dutch West India Company in 1678.

In the eighteenth century the island became known as the Golden Rock, since the island's economy flourished by ignoring the trade embargoes between the great powers. Since the island sold arms and ammunition to everyone who wanted to pay for it, the island was one of the few ways for the rebellious Thirteen colonies to obtain weaponry.

The British did not take the incident too seriously, although they protested against the continuous trade between the United States and Sint Eustatius. In 1778 Lord Stormont claimed in Parliament that 'if Sint Eustatius had sunk into the sea three years before, the United Kingdom would already have dealt with George Washington'. The trade of Sint Eustatius with the United States was the main reason for the Fourth Anglo-Dutch War, which was disastrous for Dutch trading.

As a result of the war, Sint Eustatius was taken by the British on 3 February 1781. Commander de Graaff, who at the moment was not informed about the declaration of war but seeing that he was facing superior forces, surrendered the island to the British Admiral Rodney. Ten months later the island was conquered by the French, allies of the Dutch in this war. The Dutch regained command over the island in 1784.

The name Sint Eustatius

Saint Eustace, also known as Eustachius or Eustathius, was a legendary Christian martyr who lived with his companions in the 2nd century AD. In view of the fabulous character of his "Passio," scarcely anything is known of the saint, his commemoration was removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints in 1969.

A martyr of that name is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, which, however, judges that the legend recounted about him is "completely fabulous.". There is no official link with Saint Eustatius or Eustachius, Eustace, a pagan Roman General (Placidas) in the army of the Emperor Trajan. Converted to Christianity following a hunting trip during which he saw a glowing cross between the antlers of a stag, after which he received a prophecy that he would suffer for Christ. He was baptized with his wife and two sons, and given the name Eustachius. who was murdered in 100.

In the 19th century, the Church proclaimed Eustatius patron of the Island and patron of the Roman Catholic Church on the island. Source: wikipedia

The Jews people on Sint Eustatius

By the end of the 17th century Statia had grown into a busy port facilitating inter-island trade in the north-eastern Caribbean. It was during this time that first Jewish merchants began to arrive on the island from Amsterdam and Curaçao.

The Sephardic and Ashkenazi population continued to grow during the first quarter of the 18th century due to the expanding trade network. By the 1730's the Jewish population had grown so large that it petitioned the synagogue in Curacao for help in constructing their own synagogue in 1736. In 1739 Honen Dalim ('She who is charitable to the poor') was consecrated in the center of Oranjestad. Both Sephardic and Ashkenazi denominations worshipped at the synagogue.

The Jewish community grew to be a powerful constituency within the trade economy throughout the rest of the 1800s and peaked during the last quarter century. Although the Jewish population received especially harsh treatment when the British sacked the island in 1781, it was not until the French and English occupation of Statia that begin in 1795 that the Jewish community left permanently.

The synagogue went to ruins by the 1850's until 2001.

Then the exterior was restored as part of the Historic Core Restoration [project. Source: St. Eustatius Historical Foundation.

The ruins of the Honen Dalim Synagogue till 2001. The Netherlands Antilles 1977, Mi 346, Sc 404.

The history of the Roman Catholic Church of Sint Eustatius Very interesting historical data by W. S. "Will" Johnson. The Level, Saba, December 24th, 2007

To read on internet. In the middle of the eighteenth century St. Eustatius was served by priests from St.Barths. In the archives of the church in Gustavia there was a document dated November 19th, 1762 of two priests Fathers Terentius MacDonnell and Father Thomas Devenish, who call themselves "missionaries apostoliques authorizes par Clement XII" for the Danish and the Dutch islands, whereby St. Eustatius and St.Maarten are mentioned by name.

In 1824 the Dutch priest Marinus J. Niewindt (1806-1860), apostolic prefect, accompanied by Father J. B. Eisenbeil and a servant, who were on their way to Curacao, visited the island. They had just crossed the Atlantic coming out from Holland and the island was their first port of call. They visited Governor Baron van Spengler who although not a Catholic himself invited the two priests to hold a Mass at his private home. This took place the following day in the presence of several inhabitants, under whom many claimed not to have attended a Mass in many a year. After the service the priest baptized seven children. Several people requested Governor Van Spengler to intercede so that a Priest could be appointed for the island. He promised he would write a letter to the Minister of Colonies to that effect.

Although constitutionally the islands were separated Mgr. Niewindt Pope Leo XIII published a decree on January 7th, 1827, in which He declared the three Dutch islands to be under the jurisdiction of the prefect of Curacao.

On April 27th, 1836, Mgr. Niewindt arrived again on St. Eustatius after a trip which had started on Curacao on April 12, but that was in the days of the sailing schooners and anything could happen.

Niewindt had already informed the Act. Governor Theophilus G. Groebe of his arrival, who had pledged every form of cooperation to anyone who came in the name of God to bring religious instruction to the people of the island. However the reception they received from him was cold and when they asked about renting a house he sent them to a government official who informed them that at best there were 4 Catholics on the island. Niewindt said that after some research he could claim around seventy Catholics on the island.

In 1841 finally Niewindt was able to meet his promise of stationing a permanent priest on St. Eustatius. This was J.F.A. Kistemaker from Oldenzaal in The Netherlands.

In the history of the church the year 1841 is very important for St. Eustatius. Before that time as we can see the island was only served incidentally by a priest and in some cases as with Father Niewindt himself the priests could not speak a word of English.

Of the 70 Catholics from 1836 there remained only fifty over and there was no church as well.

The first Roman Catholic church, 1843-1910.

Kistemaker rented a house on the same street on which the Dutch reformed church was located and kept Mass there. In 1843 he bought the house for f.1200.--, but in 1845 he exchanged it for a larger house which belonged to local councillor Melville Wood Cruger. This house was located close to the edge of the cliff and Cruger was afraid that it would slide down the hillside, so therefore he was willing for the exchange.

Until 1910 this building served as the church. After that it was restored and served as the school and a dwelling for the Roman Catholic nuns. Kistemaker worked hard and soon he had 160 Catholics registered as members of the church.

Conflict with the Methodist Pastor.

His efforts brought him in conflict with the Methodist pastor William Satchell who started on Tuesdays an anti-Roman Catholic Service. Kistemaker felt the need to complain to the Governor a.i. Theophilus George Greobe to restore order. Pastor Satchell when questioned by Groebe informed him that he was not setting his flock against the Catholics. He claimed that he was just explaining them that the system was corrupt and soul destroying," and that " the church of Rome in her nature and tendency was blasphemously wicked." He had called on his flock to draw the sword from the sheave and to fight the Papacy, which according to Kistemaker was dangerous in a society which was largely illiterate.

The complaint was sent to the Governor-General in Surinam who asked Mr. Groebe to bring order to the situation. Mr. Groebe informed the Methodist Minister that all religions were equal under the law and that there should be no provocation of one religion against the other. Shortly after that Satchel left the island but it was only the beginning of a long conflict between the Methodists and the Roman Catholics for souls on St. Eustatius.

On March 10th, 1847 in the evening Mgr. Niewindt arrived on St. Eustatius after a very tough voyage from Curacao in which he had encountered two storms, one near Tortola which Niewindt said that in his many journeys by sea he had never experienced such bad weather.

The following day Father Kistemaker welcomed him to the island and proudly showed him the church property including the burial ground which he had purchased from the colonial secretary Mr. Ph.D.Th.M. Spiro for fls. 48.-

Whereas there were only 50 parishioners in 1841, now there were 180. While there 52 people were confirmed by Niewindt. He discussed the need for a catholic school on the island. Shortly after that Father Kistemaker went on vacation and Father Ten Brink from Sint Maarten took his place.

By Royal decree of 28 August 1854 the priest on the island was given a salary of fls.600.-per year to be paid from the colonial budget.

In 1853, Father J.C.Gast O.S.Cr. who, was stationed on Saba came to temporarily replace Kistemaker. Niewindt who was now Bishop, was having health problems, and Kistemaker was back and forth from St. Eustatius until 1857 when he was transferred to Curacao. After he left some prominent Statians wrote a letter to the" Curacaosche Courant" in which they praised Kistemaker for his tolerance and the work which he had done on St. Eustatius.

The statue of Saint Eustatius.

In October 1857 the new priest Franciscus, Joannes van Blarcum (11.6.1824, on the Antilles 6.6.1849, ordination 18.12.1852, returned 28.8.1875; + 22.4.1884) arrived. He requested Father Kistemaker who was going to Europe to become the new bishop for the Dutch West Indies to try and find a statue of the patron saint of St. Eustatius. However the saint was not so well known and the congregation had to wait until 1902 to get a small statue of Saint Eustache. This was found in Europe by the Dominican Mgr. Ambrosius, Jacobus Johannes van Baars (6.4.1854, professed 28.10.1873, ordination 15.8.1879, on the Antilles 17.6.1881, + 25.3.1910) and given to the Roman Catholic Community of Saint Eustatius.

At the end of 1864 there were once again problems between the Methodists and the Roman Catholics. The Dominican Josephus Philip Thomas Kock (29.8.1823, on the Antilles 6.6.1849, ordination 18.12.1852, +29.8.1890) from Saba was acting priest. Unaccustomed to the zeal try of the Methodists and he being a very impatient Jesuit priest, several disputes arose. The Lt. Governor felt compelled to intervene and to restore order.

The Dutch Dominican Order took over the pastoral care

for Dutch West Indian islands on orders from Rome on 9 July 1868.

The first name is the religious name.

The second the baptismal name.

Between 1868 till 1958 the Netherlands Antilles were a mission territory entrusted to the Dutch Dominicans. They built a new brick church in 1910, dedicated to Sint Eustatius. Since the foundation of the Bishopric of Willemstad (Curaçao) in 1958, the Bishop is responsible for the pastoral care.

1890. However except in a few cases where a Dominican priest was acting as a replacement it was not until 1890 that Sint Eustatius got its first Dominican priest in the person of Valentinus Dalmatius Kors O.P. (17 July 1850, professed 14 September 1882, ordination 15 August 1888, on the Antilles 14 March 1889, + 27 December 1908).

The church on Saint Eustatius was blessed in 1890 by Cathy Lespier a fourteen year old devout Catholic girl from a prominent family. Cathy Lespier was such a great organist that many people were attracted to the church. Until her death at the age of 79 she was the organist in the church on St. Eustatius. In our research on history the Lespier family used to send their daughters to Ponce Puerto Rico to further their education. The President of the Dominican Republic, the late Joaquim Balaguer's grandmother was a Lespier from Ponce. We have reason to believe that she was one of the members of the large Lespier family of St. Eustatius.

1890-1911. In 1890 there were 30 converts; in 1898, there were 45. From 1894 to 1897 the Rectory was built at a cost of f. 3.131.35. To turn the old rectory into a home for the Nuns and a school. Paulus, Jan P. Delgeur O.P.(24 October 1869, professed 19 March 1891, ordination 10 August 1896, on the Antilles 18 July 1897, + ?) was given f.100.-to build benches and to purchase school materials. An additional f.50.-was given later on by the Apostolic Vicar. Of course even back then this was insufficient to do all that was required.

Father Delgeur introduced for Christmas 1903 a crib and nativity scene in the church. And in 1909 he started the preparations for the building of the new church. Father Delgeur laid the first stone for the new church on January 20th, 1910. The church was built with masons from Nevis and carpenters from Curacao, because nearly all of the good tradesmen had emigrated and the few remaining ones were working in the cotton industry. The church had the typical problems encountered in the West Indies while being built. There were times that no lumber was available. Other times there was not enough lime. The mason went first to St.Kitts where he found no lime then to St.Barths where it took him some time to get back to the island.

The altar was sent to Saba to Marcus, Gerardus, Johannes, Maria Dahlaüs, O.P.(31 May 1868, professed 23 September 1891, ordination 19 July 1896, on the Antilles 15 March 1897, + 6 Juli 1924) who was a good painter for him to complete.

There were enough stones however. The church is built with stones from the ruins in the Lower Town which were brought up one by one. There were fireworks on the evening of June 12th, 1910. Governor Gerrit J. van Grol in his address to Father Delgeur remarked: " Your mother will be glad, that it has been given to you as petition to her prayer to complete your church.") .After that speech father Delgeur consecrated the new church. The costs of the new church were f 6.369.01. The old school and the house of the nuns were broken down on the 23rd of June; the old church was rebuilt as a house for the nuns and a school. The costs were f.2.522.72.

Shortly after the dedication of the new church Sint Eustatius was visited by Dr. C. W. Currier, a great grandson of Commander Johannis de Graaff, who was born on St.Thomas in 1857, but who had lived on Sint Eustatius , between the age of 3 and 10 years. After that he had returned to St.Thomas where he went to school to the Belgian Redemption priests. Later he joined that congregation and was sent to Holland to follow school at that same order and then became a missionary in Surinam.

In 1882 he went to the United States where he became a secular priest. There he made such a career that in 1910 he became Bishop of the Philippines. Because of reasons of health he did not accept the appointment. From August 2nd to August 5th he was on Sint Eustatius and preached in the new church. A full church, as numerical the church had now reached its highest number, namely 417 parishioners.

The new church stimulated many more people to attend Mass. Father Delgeur worked for a long time on St. Eustatius. In April 1911 he celebrated his copper anniversary, but at the end of that year he was transferred.

1921-1950 Circumstances like this which would have warranted special mention did not occur after this glorious period in the history of the church. The great works of providing buildings had been completed by Father Delgeur.

We need only mention that Theodorus, Hermanus, Johannes, Maria Exler O.P. (8 December 1892, professed 23 September 1911, ordination 15 August 1917, on the Antilles 13 September 1919, + 27 October 1962) in October 1921 with his own funds started a library for the youth and in February 1923 a new organ costing f.500.- arrived on the island for the church. After World War 1 there was a mass exodus of people from St. Eustatius to Curaçao and Aruba to work in the oil refineries there. Many people had also immigrated to the United States even before that. In 1931 there were only 224 Roman Catholics left on the island, and the population had reached a low point of only 955 people.

However some improvements still took place during the following years. In May of 1935 thanks to an electric generator ,the church, rectory and home of the nuns could enjoy occasionally electric lights. In October 1952 the Rectory got a telephone installed.

Even though there were not many well-to-do parishioners on the island nevertheless in June of 1952 the church was enriched with ten glass-in-lead church windows, depicting the glory of the secrets of the Holy Rosary. In August 1954 there came a new altar, and on February 28th 1955 a new clock was installed . The old one was sent to the church in Suffisant on Curacao. In January 1957 a new organ was received, and in May a new tabernacle was put into use.

In preparation of the 50th anniversary of the church in 1960 a new floor was put down in 1959 costing f 7.244.--, of which in 1957 f.200.-had been collected among the parishioners on the occasion of the jubilee of Father Th. Exler O.P.

Considering the fact that the priests had to work in isolation, seldom was there a complaint from those who served the church. The only outing the priests enjoyed was occasionally to do some shopping or to visit the doctor on St.Kitts and then they could visit their fellow priests on that island. Also the Nuns could sometimes visit their Flemish colleagues who were working on St. Kitts.

Willibrordus, Reinerus. Johannes van Teeffelen, O.P

Some priests were Jack-of-all-trades. Willibrordus, Reinerus, Joannes van Teeffelen O.P. (11 May 1885, professed 23 September 1905, ordination 15 August 1911, on the Antilles 9 November 912, + 15 January 1947)could repair clocks and as he was the only one on Saint Eustatius at the time who knew how to do this, it was an entire ceremony. Dr. Johan Hartog recalls how in 1945 he made the rounds with the good father to repair clocks. Father van Teeffelen reserved the right to wind the clock himself when it was repaired. On that particular morning ten clocks were repaired. He said it was as pleasant as curious to do the rounds with Father. Most people did not have any work and so the entire family would be at home looking on and would break into loud applause when the clock started working again.

The priests lived lonely lives and died lonely. When some nuns arrived back on Saint Eustatius on January 11 ,1947, from their vacation on St.Kitts, father Van Teeffelen was there to greet them. But the following morning when he did not appear on the altar, it was with some reluctance that the nuns went to open his bedroom after he did not respond to their calls. They found him lying on the floor where he had been the entire night, struck with a stroke. There was a delegation of parliament on the island at the time among which was a medical doctor. He together with the local doctor tried their best but father Van Teeffelen died after having served more than thirty years on the Windward Islands away from his homeland his family and friends.

Despite the animosity between the Methodists and the Roman Catholics in the beginning, because of his popularity among people of all faiths, when Father Van Teeffelens remains were being carried to his last resting place, the Rev. Minister R. Warner accompanied by the Methodist Youth Organizations followed the casket in a solemn procession. After 1950.

The last years the church on St. Eustatius has been served by priests from the Philippines. The way in which the church has been operating over the past years is known to the present generation. However many are unaware of the history of the church in former times and that in 2010 the church building still in use now will be 100 years old. This small history is dedicated to Father Raffie the present Parish Priest and to Sister Monique who asked me to do some research on the history of the Roman Catholic Church of Saint Eustatius.

Literature consulted: Encyclopedie van de Nederlandse Antillen De Bovenwindse Eilanden: Dr. J. Hartog: Gouden Dominicaner Missie op Curacao, 1870- 1920. The Netherlands West Indies, Willem van de Pol, Etc. Saba, December 24th, 2007 W. S. "Will" Johnson The Level, Saba.

The Dominican Sisters of Voorschoten (Nederland) started their work on Sint Eustatius from 1899 till 1990.

On 8 April 2005 the population of Sint Eustatius (2.498) voted for the status of a Special Municipality of the Netherlands; also Saba (1.424) on 1 October 2004, and on 10 September 2004 the population of the island Bonaire (10.185).Sint Eustatius, as well as Bonaire and Saba are new Special Municipalities of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. It shall be realized on 15 December 2008, but Sarah Wescot, minister of Saint Maarten, would adjourn this date till 2010. The status of Special Municipality of the Netherlands is realised on 10 October 2010.

Rosarius, Johannes, Josephus, Leonardus Weenink (10 December 1908, professed 18 September 1932, ordination 25 July 1937, on the Antilles 15 October 1939, returned to Nederland -- ; + 23 April 1993) is commemorated on the stamp honoured the 12,5th anniversary of Queen Beatrix's accession to the throne, and her visit to the Antilles.

Literature and sources: Monteiro, Dr Marit. 2008. Gods Predikers. Dominicanen in Nederland (1795-2000).Marit Monteiro en Uitgeverij Verloren. Hilversum. ISBN 978-90-8704-030-7. De Jong, Ton en Hendrikse, Norbert. 2008. De gezegende erfenis. Nalatenschap van 1200 Nederlandse religieuzen op Curaçao. Ton de Jong, Hilvarenbeek. ISBN 978-907747-23-0. NUR 686. Marcha, Dr. Waldemar. 2009. Gods Wijngaard in De West. Caribic Publishing B.V. Uitgeverij WP, Amsterdam. ISBN 978-090-6665-928-5.NUR 523. Special p. 663-678.

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