| Aantekeningen: |
Simon Gorter was born 16 March 1778 at Westzaan, Dutch province of North Holland. The family had lived at Westzaan since the time of his great-grand¬father Jan Gorter, b. 13 March 1669, whose son Jans, b. 4 September 1705, and grandson, b. 15 February 1741, had been living at Westzaan. He was at first a miller's aid and was educated for the ministry in his evening hours by Gerbrandt Valter. Shortly after the mill known as "De Ruiter" burned down, including all his equipment, he was called as minister of the Zonist congregation at Joure, delivering his first sermon on 6 September 1808. Here he married Tiete van der Zee. He was a man of enormous figure. In 1808 he moved to Hindelopen at Molkwerum, and in 1813 to Zijldijk. He is the progenitor of the numerous Gorters in the province of Groningen. On 7 September 1851 he celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of his ministry. Through his zealous efforts the congregations of Huizinge, Leermens-Loppersum, and den Hoorn were kept alive and at the last-named place a parsonage was built. In addition he was the founder (1835) and the first chairman of the Groningen fund for ministers' widows. On 6 July 1856 he retired and on 11 September 1862, he died. His son Douwe Gorter (d. 17 March 1921) was a pillar of the small Zijldijk congregation, which he served many years as deacon and treasurer. The sons of Douwe Gorter were also deacons at Zijldijk. |
