Explorer Daniёl David Vett (1850-1885) died in Africa

Daniёl David Vett was born on 17 February 1850 at the Prinsengracht in Amsterdam. Daniёl’s father is dr. Pieter Johannes Veth (1814-1895), a professor at Leyden University, and the first Chairman of the Royal Netherlands Geographical Society (KNAG).
Daniёl’s mother is Anna Clara Elisabeth Büchler (1822-1865). Daniёl had an elder brother Huibert Johannes. Another brother, 14-year-old Cornelis Johannes Veth, died in 1870. In 1870 Daniёl was exempted from military service due to his poor eyesight. His elder brother Huibert had earlier been exmpted due to myopia.
Pieter Johannes Veth married his second wife, Henriette Gertruijda van der Koogh (1827-1898) on 27 December 1872 in Dordrecht. Her parents are the cousins Adrianus van der Koogh (±1796-1831) and Maria van der Koogh (1800-1875). Another son of his first marriage, Johannes Gerardus Vett, died in 1876 at the age of 18.

Daniёl David Vett
the explorer

Pieter Johannes Vett
the professor

Daniёl Vett studied engineering in Germany at the technical colleges in Hanover and Stuttgart. In 1877, Daniёl joined an expedition to Central Sumatra. He was responsible for photographs and mapping. In 1882 he visited Indonesia to take pictures for an exhibition.
In the fall of 1884, Daniёl led a Dutch expedition in the Portuguese colonies of southwest Africa. He succumbed to dysentery and “swamp fever” on 19 May 1885 on the shores of the Coporolo River, south of Benguela in Angola. Later Daniёl's body was recovered, and he was reburied in Dordrecht. In 1895 his father Pieter Johannes Vett was buried at the same cemetery.

Java-bode, 26-9-1885

In collaboration with a member of his son's expedition, Pieter Johannes Vett wrote a book about his son Daniёl’s travels in Angola.

Landbouw-courant, 9-10-1887

Daniёl's stepmother Henriette Gertruijda van der Koogh survived her husband by 3 years, and died in 1898.
Daniёl's elder brother Huibert Johannes Veth died on 10 August 1917 in The Hague, at the age of 71. In 1891 he had married J(oh)anna Petronella van Vlaanderen.

Algemeen Handelsblad, 23-8-1885

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, en.Wikipedia.org, Archief.Amsterdam.