The famous major Herman Kessels (1794-1851): measles, a whale and a revolt

In February 1828 two brothers died of measles: 6-year-old Cornelis Augustinus and 2-year-old Arnoldus Lodewijk Kessels. Cornelis Augustinus Kessels was born in Baarle-Nassau on 28 February 1822 around noon. Arnoldus Lodewijk was born on 17 November 1825 in Oostend in Belgium. Both died in Oostend on 10 February 1828.

Opregte Haarlemsche Courant (newspaper), 16 February 1828

Harmanus Kessels and Alida Cornelia Snethlage were married on 15 June 1815 in Amsterdam. Herman Kessels was born on 2 May 1794 in Brussels. Alida Cornelia Snethlage was born on 13 January 1793 in Amsterdam as daughter of Casparus Gerardus Snethlage (1762-1840) and Theresia Elisabeth van Laar (1766-1823).

Alida Cornelia Snethlage gave birth to a son, Henry-Francois, on April 25, 1829, in Paris in France. She gave birth to a daughter, Josephine Desiree, on July 28, 1830, in Antwerp in Belgium. During her marriage, Alida Cornelia endured 12 pregnancies.

Middelburgsche Courtant (newspaper), 16 May 1829

Herman Kessels would become famous for an obscurity unrelated to his military activities. In 1827, fishermen brought a dead whale to the beach in Ostend. Kessels bought the carcass. Carrying the skeleton, containing a 24-person orchestra, Kessels toured Europe and the Royal Courts.
Herman also invented a device that could be used to rescue people from windows on upper floors in the event of fire.

Bredasche Courant (newspaper), 9 January 1831

During the Belgian Revolt of 1830, Herman Kessels chose the Belgian side. He became a multi-decorated artillery major.
Herman Kessels died on 15 November 1851. His widow, Alida Cornelia Snethlage, died in Sint-Joost-ten-Noode in Belgium on 15 april 1857.

Groninger Courant (newspaper), 25 November 1851

Sources: Delpher.nl, WieWasWie.nl, Archief.Amsterdam website, Noord-HollandsArchief.nl, limbeurg.nl, gw.geneanet.org/hverbeekstaals, familie-snethlage.nl.