Abraham Momber van de Velde

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Abraham Momber a.k.a. Abraham Momber van de Velde was the last commander (opperhoofd) of the Dutch East India Company settlement on Mauritius. He followed Roelof Deodati as the de facto Dutch governor on November 25, 1703. On November 15, 1707 the Company's premises, goods, and administration were almost entirely destroyed by a fire. The same year instructions had been received from the Company to abandon the island. Most Dutch families were transported on two ships to Cape Town, where they arrived on January 26, 1709. After destructing everything they could not take with them, to prevent the abandoned station to be of service to anyone else, Momber and his garrison left on January 25, 1710 to Batavia on the ship Beverwaart.

The next colonial governor did not arrive until 1715 with Guillaume Dufresne d' Arsel of the French East India Company.

[edit] Sources

• History of South Africa Under the Administration of the Dutch East India Company, 1652 to 1795, by George M'Call Theall