Wyckoff Van Derhoef
Wyckoff Van Derhoef
Who Was Wyckoff Van Derhoef?
Wyckoff Van Derhoef was a 61 (sixty-one) year-old American businessman and first-class passenger aboard the ill-fated RMS Titanic. Born on May 13, 1850, in Brooklyn, New York, Van Derhoef’s life was tragically cut short when he perished in the Titanic disaster on April 15, 1912.
Early Life and Background
A Brooklyn Native with Dutch Roots
Wyckoff Van Derhoef was born into a family with a rich heritage:
- Father: William Johnson Van Derhoef (1819-1868), a watchmaker and jeweler
- Mother: Isabella Jane Marshall (1827-1904)
- Siblings: William (1848-1919) and Mary Chauncey (1854-1924)
His father’s ancestry traced back to Cornelis Van Der Hoeve, whose widow Geertje emigrated to Kings County (now Brooklyn), New York, in 1661, establishing the American Van Derhoef family. Wyckoff’s great-grandfather, Cornelius P. Vanderhoef (c.1732-1818), fought in the Revolutionary War.
Career and Personal Life
Wyckoff’s professional journey was marked by steady progression:
- 1870: Listed as a clerk in the census
- 1880: Employed at the Williamsburgh Fire Insurance Company
- Later years: Rose to company secretary and became the largest shareholder
On April 19, 1888, Wyckoff married Laura Ellen Newell (born September 10, 1854, in Boston). The couple had twin sons, Marshall and Newell, born on March 29, 1889.
Titanic Journey: An Unusual Booking
Why Was Van Derhoef on the Titanic?
Wyckoff Van Derhoef’s presence on the Titanic was unique. He had traveled to Europe on March 26, 1912, for a combined business and pleasure trip. This journey included a visit to his sister Mary in Belfast, a trip he reportedly made every three to four years.
“As far as can be traced, by inquiries amongst the local shipping gents, there has been only one direct booking from Belfast by the Titanic, this being per Messrs. Whiting and Tedford, the passenger being a visitor from America named Mr. Wyckoff Vanderhoef.” - Belfast Newsletter, April 15, 1912
Titanic Ticket Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Class | First Class |
| Cabin | B-19 |
| Ticket Number | 111240 |
| Fare | £33 10s |
Fate During the Disaster
A Tragic End
Wyckoff Van Derhoef did not survive the sinking of the Titanic. His body was later recovered by the Mackay Bennett and identified as body number 245. The recovery report provided a detailed description:
NO 245. - MALE. - ESTIMATED AGE, 60. - HAIR GREY; AND BEARD, BALD. CLOTHING- Evening dress; “W. V.” on drawers; black boots. EFFECTS- Two false teeth (top); gold ring, marked “L. E. N. to V. W.”; gold watch and fob with gold medallion; 5 studs; gold links; keys; knife; glasses; $62 in case. FIRST CLASS. NAME - WYCKOFF VAN DER HOEF.
Final Resting Place
Van Derhoef was laid to rest at the Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, coincidentally near fellow Titanic passengers Mr. George Harder and his wife Dorothy, who survived the disaster.
Legacy and Aftermath
A Previous Brush with Maritime Disaster?
Intriguingly, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle reported on April 16, 1912, that Van Derhoef had allegedly survived a previous shipwreck:
“One of them, speaking to an Eagle reporter, recalled that many years ago Mr. Vanderhoef was aboard a ship that was sunk in a sea accident, forcing everybody to take to the boats and life rafts. On the raft on which Mr. Vanderhoef had taken refuge were a number of women and children, and it is said that the raft was heavily loaded. Noting this, he clung to the side of the raft supporting a baby and holding the baby’s mother until succor came.”
Legal and Financial Aftermath
Following the Titanic disaster:
- A claim for $60,000 in damages for loss of life and $957 in lost property was filed during the limitation of liability hearings in 1913.
- In 1919, Van Derhoef’s sister Mary auctioned the contents of the house where Wyckoff had stayed before boarding the Titanic.
Family’s Fate
- Widow: Laura never remarried and passed away on March 17, 1925, in Brooklyn.
- Sons:
- Marshall faced legal troubles in 1922 but was cleared. He married twice and died in 1954 in Geneva, New York.
- Newell worked in real estate, never married, and died on July 17, 1959, in Los Angeles.
Neither son had children, marking the end of Wyckoff Van Derhoef’s direct lineage.
Andre Nolan is an avid Titanic historian and the creator of TitanicUniverse.com, a website dedicated to uncovering the untold stories and forgotten details behind the famous ocean liner.
With a lifelong passion for maritime history, Andre has spent over a decade researching the Titanic, from the personal lives of passengers and crew to the engineering marvels that made the ship an icon of its era.
When he's not immersed in Titanic lore, Andre enjoys connecting with fellow maritime history lovers, exploring historic ships and shipwrecks.