I have been trying unsuccessfully to trace my great grandfather Jacob Fredrick or Fredrick Jacob Otten believed (according to the British census records) to have be born in Amsterdam in or around 1855.  

According to his marriage certificate dated 1880 (Swansea Wales UK) he was a master rigger.  

I have tried to look extensively for a record of his birth and as yet I have been unsuccessful.

I was wondering if anyone else is researching the same family tree or maybe some tips to help me try and locate more information about my dutch ancestry.

any help would be greatly appreciated.

sharon otten

How did you no, he was born to Amsterdam, 

Not what you asks, i fond this on Familysearch, you now this.

Name:    Jacob F Otten
Ereignistyp:    Death
Anmeldungsvierteljahr:    Jul-Aug-Sep
Anmeldungsdatum:    1922
Anmeldungsamt:    Swansea
County, Kreis, Amt, Bezirk:    Glamorganshire
Ereignisort:    Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales
Alter:    67
Geburtsdatum:    
Geburtsjahr (geschätzt):    1855
Band:    11A
Seite:    877
Partner-Zeilennummer:    66

Citing this Record:
"England and Wales Death Registration Index 1837-2007," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVHW-TMWZ : accessed 24 July 2015), Jacob F Otten, 1922; from "England & Wales Deaths, 1837-2006," database, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Death, Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales, General Register Office, Southport, England.

There was a Frederik Jacob Otten born 7th August 1851 at Amsterdam. He is in the Census of 1851/1853 with his parents Joseph Jan Otten (born Papenburg 17 Dec 1807) and mother or stepmother Antje van Cleef (born Amsterdam 19th February 1821)   The facts in the Census are not always reliable, so you have to check his birth.

Frederik Jacob married Maria Louisa Johanna Clemens  at Amsterdam 7th Sept. 1870 

https://www.wiewaswie.nl/en/search/search-results/record-details/a2apersonid/242971425/srcid/35477379/oid/3

In 1878 his wife wants to divorce him, the divorce was 31 Dec 1878 according the Population Registration of 1874-1893.  .  Frederik Jacob was gone with no known destination. His wife and son Johannes Valentijn, born 10 March 1874 stayed at Amsterdam.

Thank you for your reply: 

I have had a look at the link you supplied for me and I am wondering if it is the same person that I am looking for. 

My Jacob got married in 1880 in Wales UK and I have just had a quick look at Maria Clemens and it seems she didnt die until 1925.

Also my Jacob was a master rigger and the Jacob in your link was working in a smelther. Although it is possible that he changed occupations. 

But thank you anyway this is definately a conundrum alright. 

Thank you for your reply.

Yes that is the same Jacob that is my great grandfather. We have managed to locate records as far back as 1880 in the UK which is when he got married but as yet have had no luck in tracking him down before then.

I have only the UK census records to go on to say that he was born in the Netherlands.

He is really a mystery man

Name:    Jacob Otten
Ereignistyp:    Census
Ereignisdatum:    31 Mar 1901
Ereignisort:    Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales
County, Kreis, Amt, Bezirk:    Glamorganshire
Zivilgemeinde:    Swansea
Kirchengemeinde:    St Marks
Unterbezirk:    Swansea
Anmeldungsamt:    Swansea
Geschlecht:    
Alter:    51
Verhältnis zum Haushaltsvorstand:    Head
Geburtsort:    Amstardam B S
Formulartyp:    Household

Citing this Record:
"England and Wales Census, 1901," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XSM6-YHT : accessed 24 July 2015), Jacob Otten, Swansea, Glamorganshire, Wales; from "1901 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing  county,  registration district, Swansea subdistrict, PRO RG 13, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.

Maby you can look hier:    i think Mieke has de right person.

When Johannes Valentijn Otten married, he declared he didn't know anything about the whereabouts of his father, he even didn't know if his father was still alive

 https://www.wiewaswie.nl/en/search/search-results/record-details/a2apersonid/420366949/srcid/31301038/oid/3

The official divorce date is 5 June 1879. On that day the divorce of Jacob Frederik Otten and Maria Louisa Johanna Clemens was registered in the civil registration of Amsterdam (record 1037 on the left page):

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-10840-36434-59?cc=2020117&wc=MCLH-Z3F:341740401,342711901

Fredrik Jacob Otten was born on 7 August 1851 in Amsterdam. His birth was registered on 8 August 1851. His father was a sailor. 

Here's the link to his birth record (top record on the right hand page):

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12568-33553-87?cc=2020117&wc=MCL4-L6J:341646101,342299501

And here's the link to the first page of the wedding supplements of Jacob Fredrik Otten en Maria Louisa Johanna Clemens. The supplements are on image 1025-1030. From the supplements we learn that Maria Louisa Johanna Clemens was born on 28 August 1852 in Amsterdam.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-17678-108436-92?cc=2020117&wc=MCLZ-7NG:341763001,348787701

Nog een zoon Willem 10-03-1878. Geboorte is 12 maart aangegeven.

Image: 156/412 aktenr: 2111.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-10893-4913-19?cc=2020117&wc=MCLH-G3N:341646101,342971201

Hij huwde Gijsberta Johanna Bos: 10-01-1900 huwelijksbijlagen: vanaf image 2513/3119.

https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-17778-133416-85?cc=2020117&wc=MCL8-SZ9:341763001,343701702

Zoon van dit echtpaar: Abraham Otten. Er is een archiefkaart van hem.(30-5-1900)

Vanaf 7.8.1851 woonden in de Grote Kattenburgerstraat ("Dave-Verdooner" - boekdeel T 3 - 1; blz. 836: Joseph Jan Otten, geb. 17.12.1807 in Papenburg,
Antje van Cleef, geb. 19.2.1821 in Amsterdam, groenteverkoper, en hun kinderen:
Anna Maria (4.5.1843), Jacob Christiaan (29.6.1847), Margaretha Antoinetta S. (29.5.1849) en Frederik Jacobs (7.8.1851). Het gezin is "h.l." (Hersteld Evangelisch Luthers).

Op 1.12.1841 huwden in Amsterdam: Joseph Joseph Otten, geboren in Papenburg, 34 jaar, zeeman, zoon van Joseph Otten en Margaretha Middendorff, en Antje van Cleef, geboren in Amsterdam, 20 jaar, dochter van Fredrik Christiaan van Cleef en Maria Charlotta Heijnen. Reg. 5 fol. 88v.

there are no annexes to the act of marriage , you have the marriage certificate , he must identify himself anyway , birth certificate passport .

Do you have his marriage certificate ? There are no attachments of marriage. He will have to legitimize , birth certificate , passport . You can search (ships manifest) the arrival in England often there is also the birth date.

Mvg

Huwelijksbijlagen Amsterdam (1.12.1841 - images 2521 etc.): Joseph Joseph Otten is in Papenburg gedoopt op 2.2.1807 als zoon van Joseph Otten en Margaretha Middendorff.

Dave-Verdooner (boekdeel O 4 -1, blz. 809) meldt het volgende:
Wonend in de Korte Koningsdwarsstraat:
Johannus Valentijn Clemens, geb. 24.2.1818 in Amsterdam, koopman,
Maria Bieseman, geb. 29.9.1820 in Hilversum, ingekomen 17.10.1832, en hun kinderen:
Cornelia Louiza J. (30.10.1850) en Maria Louiza J. (26.5.1852).

En op 15.5.1850 huwden in Amsterdam (Reg. 4 fol. 94v) Johannes Valentijn Clemens, groentenkoper, zoon van NN en Maria Catharina Clemens, en Marie Josephe Bieseman, geboren in Vilvoorde (België), 29 jaar, dienstbaar, dochter van Jacques Bieseman en Cornelie Klerens.

On Familysearch I found the birth of Maria Josephina Catharina Otten. She is a daughter of Frederik Jacob Otten and Maria Louisa Johanna Clemens. She was born on 4 November 1870 in Amsterdam.

So Maria Louisa Johanna Clemens was 7 months pregnant when she married Frederik Jacob Otten.

https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X19W-TBM

Op 24.2.1818 werd aangegeven de op 20.2.1818 in Amsterdam geboren Johannes Valentijn Clemens.
Zijn moeder is Maria Catharina Clemens, naaister, wonend op de "Warmoesgragt". Image 344.