Isaac de Veer, a descendant of the Dutch de Veer family, b. 1673 at Danzig-Neugarten, d. 1745 at Danzig-Alt Schottland, was a lace manufacturer and merchant at Danzig. He was married five times - in 1696 to Sara Siemens (1671-99), in 1700 to Magdalena Suderman (1677-1710), in 1710 to Maria Klemperer (1686-1716), in 1716 to Sara Jantzen (d. 1718), and in 1718 to Maria Danielsen (1697-1756).

After serving as deacon of the Flemish Schladal congregation in Danzig for some years, he was chosen preacher in 1726, and elder in 1737, serving until his death. He was an inspiring leader of the church in a difficult period (Polish civil war, church badly damaged, controversies among the members). He corresponded with the Mennonite leaders at Amsterdam, who at his request contributed finan­cially to the restoration of the church and the old people's home.

Among Isaac's children were Cornelis de Veer (1702-1760), who settled at Amsterdam, and Isaac de Veer, many of whose descendants were deacons of the Danzig congregation. Jacob de Veer (b. 1739), Isaac's grandson, was a preacher of the Danzig Flemish congregation 1774 and elder 1790-d. 1793. He drew up a new catechism for his church, which was used until 1825.

Adapted by permission of Herald Press, Harrisonburg, Virginia, and Waterloo, Ontario, from Mennonite Encyclopedia, Vol. 4, p. 803. All rights reserved. For information on ordering the encyclopedia visit the Herald Press website.

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