In 1810, to start with the first, he was one of the founders
of the Middelharnis-Sommelsdijk department of the  Maatschappij
tot Nut van 't Algemeen (Society for Public Welfare), which
dated from 1784 and was soon after active all over the country.
At this department the atmosphere must have been quite liberal,
contrary to other parts in the Netherlands which later so
often showed segregation over the denominations. One of the
founders and active members was the (Catholic) pastor of Oude
Tonge, who immediately suggested to appoint the (Protestant)
minister of his village; a suggestion that was accepted without
balloting. Adrianus Quirinus became the first treasurer until
1819, the year of his golden wedding jubilee, when he resigned
because of old age. He was then appointed honorary member
thanks to him "being a model in accuracy and ecellent
bookkeeping".
Whether he ever addressed the members, I do not know. He
did show his progressiveness by asking in 1812 the medics
of his fellowship to check one of his cows, that "was
maybe infected by cow pox", this only fourteen years
after the publications in England by Edward Jenner on the
advantages of vaccination.
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Already in the 1770's he had his children treated against
smallpox by 'variolation', which shows that he was a man with
great confidence in modern science. Three years after Adrianus
Quirinus' request to the medics the department of the Maatschappij
tot Nut van 't Algemeen ordered 200 leaflets to be handed
out across the island. These leaflets treated the on the advantages
of vaccination of cows against cow pox. An initiative he must
have supported wholeheartedly.
One of his children, Cornelis (CBB XIIIf) (1776-1830), who in 1809 already once leased the patented
Bank van Leening at Middelharnis, succeeded him as treasurer.
He would keep that function until his death in 1830. As bookkeepers
or treasurers, for instance also in the boards of the polders,
the Kolffs of Middelharnis enjoyed great confidence. Sometimes
one may still hear the description of this branch of the Kolffs
of being 'economical', a result of the reputation that started
in those years? Cornelis' son Gualtherus Constantinus Marius
(CBB XIVi) (1819-1890), "in difficult
times always a man of deeds", became treasurer of the Maatschappij
tot Nut van 't Algemeen in 1848 and held that position until
1862. Several successors followed but they were not Kolffs.
But in 1895 "the department returned to her former love
and trusted C. Kolff A.Cz. (CBB XVk)
(1860-1923) with the care of the treasury as well as the
accounting of the savings bank. 'Young Cor' (G.C.M. was his
uncle), who now [1910] has proven, for many years, to give
honour to his dynasty to try to be equal in accuracy and policy
to the first treasurer." This sound like he still had
to wait for the highest honour, but nobody ever questioned
his position. |
