With the discovery of Singapore in 1819 and the decline of Malacca as a trading port, the family began moving out to greener pastures. This diagram displays the migration pattern only up to the 4th generation. Following that, there was much movement back and forth within the region and further afield.
The earliest migration of the family from Malacca was by Louisa and Sefridus Van Der Tuuk in 1826. The British formally took over control of Malacca in 1824 and soon changed the judicial system from Dutch to British. Sefridus, being a Dutch magistrate, moved to Surabaya, which was still under Dutch control, to continue his practice.
Next came Maria Antonetta and W.T. Lewis. In 1840, Lewis was posted tp Penang and Assistant Resident Councillor. Although he was to return to Malacca on a temperory basis as Acting Resident Councillor, the family's permanent home after 1940 was Penang.
The 3rd generation migration began in the mid 1800s. There was a substantial migration of the family to Singapore. However, the earliest indication of their presence was by James Louis, son of Johann Christian in 1858.
Joseph, the son of Fredric Joseph moved to the tiny gold town of Majorca in Victoria, Australia to seek his fortune. He is recorded as a Melbourne Pioneer. There he married Hannah Ford in 1869 and had two children. Sadly, both of them died as infants. Hannah also died shortly after childbirth.
In 1870, Dr. Hermann Neubronner Van Der Tuuk arrived at his final destination in Bali. He had travelled extensively between Europe and Indonesia formulating his linguistic works. His final project was a translation of the Balinese language. He remained in Bali until 1894 when he fell seriously ill. He was returned to Surabaya where he died shortyl after.
In the late 1870s, there was a partial migration of Alfred's family (son of Thomas). Accompanied by his wife Angelique, three of his children were sent to London for their education. Only his son Henry Alfred returned to Penang in 1900 while his daughters remained in England and married there. Angelique also remained and died in England in 1912.
The 4th generation migration was actually from Singapore to British North Borneo (Sabah). In 1895, Fredrick Saxby, son of James Louis, was recorded as being a customs officer in Kudat. F.S. was to begin a sizable family there. In 1883, another family member, Louis Edward Neubronner, did spend some time in Sendakan as clerk of the magistrate's court but returned to Singapore after 3 years.
