François Adriaan van der Kemp

Who was François Adriaan van der Kemp?

François Adriaan van der Kemp or Francis Adrian Vanderkemp was one of the Dutch radical leaders of the Patriots, a minister and publicist who gave the Patriot movement a Christian tint in his blazing speeches. Having been a promising student in Groningen, Franeker and Amsterdam, he led the local militia in Wijk bij Duurstede and ended up in captivity. Van der Kemp was released on 9 December 1787 for a ransom of 45,000 guilder and emigrated to the U.S.A.