1870s Oera Linda Hall of Fame

Over de Linden, Ottema, Kuipers, Reitsma, Vitringa and Sandbach

The men who deserve most credit for contributing to the Oera Linda-book being made public and/or promoting research of it in the first years (with links to their genealogies):

1. Cornelis Over de Linden (1811-1874): Owner of the manuscript from 1848 till his death in 1874, leaving it to his son Leendert Floris (see below). Cornelis sought help having it translated in 1867 which got him in contact with Dr. Eelco Verwijs and Dr. Jan Ottema respectively, both from the Friesch Genootschap (Frisian Society). The letters exchange both between OdL and Verwijs as well as between OdL and Ottema are of great relevance.
2. Dr. Jan Gerhardus Ottema (1804-1879): Made the first translation and got permission from Cornelis to publish it as a book in 1872 (second edition 1876). Ottema also published several booklets (between 1873 and 1878) in which he discussed it and advocated its authenticity.
3. Hendrikus Kuipers (1827-1907): Book publisher of all Ottema's OLB-related works, as well as a booklet written by Leendert Floris Over the Linden in 1877.
4. Dr. Anne Tjittes Reitsma (1806-1880): Gave two lectures in 1873 for the Frisian Society, advocating OLB's authenticity.
5. Dr. Annes Johan Vitringa (1827-1901): Wrote a series of newspaper articles for the Deventer Courant in 1873, anonymously and from a neutral perspective, but very much in favor of an honest and serious investigation of the OLB, and praising the ethics (whether ancient or written by a contemporary author) promoted in it. These articles were bundled and published as a book in 1874. A German translation was published one year later. Ottema wrote a reply which was published in 1876.
6. William Robertson Sandbach (1813-1891): Translated Ottema's Dutch 1872 book into English (with the help of his Dutch wife) and published it in 1876.
7. Leendert Floris Over de Linden (1837-1919), son of Cornelis (above): Corresponded with Ottema between 1874 and 1879 and published a brochure in 1877, advocating his father's innocence and honesty, as well as OLB's authenticity. No portrait found yet.