7.4 Further Travels in America
135
In August 1904 the Kapteyns left home. In Henriette Hertzsprung–
Kapteyn’s biography [1], their departure from the Netherlands is described
as follows:
Mrs. Kapteyn accompanied him. Characteristic of these two simple people was
their departure. They left late in August, together by bicycle from their second
home in Vries, to Groningen to take the express train to Rotterdam. The children
were sitting on the fence and waved them goodbye. So began their first great
journey to America, Kapteyn to conquer the astronomical world, Mrs. Kapteyn,
to make the many distant friends in whom she would find like-minded friends.
Arriving in St. Louis, they were received by the Dutch Consul, who quartered
them in primitive wooden, but not very dignified quarters, since everything
was overcrowded. They had arrived just in time to attend the opening of the
astronomical congress, and had quietly settled in the back of the room. Newcomb,
the president, had discovered them and immediately came to Kapteyn to lead
him to the board table, where the big shot astronomers were gathered. He was
greeted with great cordiality and respect by all, and felt immediately taken in as
a welcome and honored guest.
After the Congress in St. Louis, the Kapteyns paid a visit to the Newcombs
in Washington. There a deep friendship developed between the ladies Kapteyn
and Newcomb. Mrs. Newcomb, Mary Caroline Hassler (1840–1921), and
Elise Kapteyn corresponded regularly with each other from that time on (often
as a supplement to letters from their husbands about astronomical matters);
some of those letters have been preserved in the archives of Newcomb. On
October 31, 1904, not long after her return, Elise wrote Mrs. Newcomb a
letter with personal details. She expressed her thanks to them and to the many
friends they had made, but went on to mention that their daughter Henriette
had broken off her courtship and that it had caused them much grief. On
the boat they had met a teacher from Chicago, who was going to Bologna via
Paris; she had in the end come along with the Kapteyns. Through her advice
Henriette was persuaded to drop out of law school and study English and
French literature. Elise also announced that the eldest daughter’s studies were
going well and that their son was about to go to Germany to study mining
engineering. The eldest daughter, who would be named Noordenbos after her
marriage, had already claimed a butter tub with the letter ‘N’ engraved on it,
which the Newcombs had donated.
During their visit to Washington, the Kapteyns were received in the
White House by the president, Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919). Henriette
Hertzsprung–Kapteyn [1] wrote about this:
135
In August 1904 the Kapteyns left home. In Henriette Hertzsprung–
Kapteyn’s biography [1], their departure from the Netherlands is described
as follows:
Mrs. Kapteyn accompanied him. Characteristic of these two simple people was
their departure. They left late in August, together by bicycle from their second
home in Vries, to Groningen to take the express train to Rotterdam. The children
were sitting on the fence and waved them goodbye. So began their first great
journey to America, Kapteyn to conquer the astronomical world, Mrs. Kapteyn,
to make the many distant friends in whom she would find like-minded friends.
Arriving in St. Louis, they were received by the Dutch Consul, who quartered
them in primitive wooden, but not very dignified quarters, since everything
was overcrowded. They had arrived just in time to attend the opening of the
astronomical congress, and had quietly settled in the back of the room. Newcomb,
the president, had discovered them and immediately came to Kapteyn to lead
him to the board table, where the big shot astronomers were gathered. He was
greeted with great cordiality and respect by all, and felt immediately taken in as
a welcome and honored guest.
After the Congress in St. Louis, the Kapteyns paid a visit to the Newcombs
in Washington. There a deep friendship developed between the ladies Kapteyn
and Newcomb. Mrs. Newcomb, Mary Caroline Hassler (1840–1921), and
Elise Kapteyn corresponded regularly with each other from that time on (often
as a supplement to letters from their husbands about astronomical matters);
some of those letters have been preserved in the archives of Newcomb. On
October 31, 1904, not long after her return, Elise wrote Mrs. Newcomb a
letter with personal details. She expressed her thanks to them and to the many
friends they had made, but went on to mention that their daughter Henriette
had broken off her courtship and that it had caused them much grief. On
the boat they had met a teacher from Chicago, who was going to Bologna via
Paris; she had in the end come along with the Kapteyns. Through her advice
Henriette was persuaded to drop out of law school and study English and
French literature. Elise also announced that the eldest daughter’s studies were
going well and that their son was about to go to Germany to study mining
engineering. The eldest daughter, who would be named Noordenbos after her
marriage, had already claimed a butter tub with the letter ‘N’ engraved on it,
which the Newcombs had donated.
During their visit to Washington, the Kapteyns were received in the
White House by the president, Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919). Henriette
Hertzsprung–Kapteyn [1] wrote about this: