Lourens Dirksen

Lourens Dirksen was a Dutch businessman, the son of Dirksen Shoes founder Albert Dirksen and brother of the Dutch mathematician and physicist Nicolaas Dirksen.

Early Life
Lourens Dirksen was the second born of three children. Whilst his parents saved money for their eldest son, Nicolaas, to study at university, Lourens was to take over their successful shoemaking business Dirksen Shoes. His father taught him a lot about shoemaking and basic business strategies.

Life
After the death of his father in 1700, Lourens Dirksen took over as the owner of Dirksen Shoes at the age of 36. By this time, Dirksen Shoes was a well-known shoemaker in this part of Europe. Lourens Dirkens negotiated a deal with the Dutch government to make the boots for the Dutch cavalry. This was a massive boost to the company as the Dutch were currently expanding their colonial power across the seas.

In 1709, Lourens Dirksen married a Dutch lower-class woman, Krisje Kobes who gave birth to one son and two daughters.

Lourens Dirksen died on a business trip to Den Haag in 1733 at the age of 68. His son took over Dirksen Shoes after his death.