January 4 » Topsy, an elephant, is electrocuted by the owners of Luna Park, Coney Island. The Edison film company records the film Electrocuting an Elephant of Topsy's death.
June 16 » Roald Amundsen leaves Oslo, Norway, to commence the first east–west navigation of the Northwest Passage.
July 19 » Maurice Garin wins the first Tour de France.
August 29 » The Slava, the last of the five Borodino-class battleships, is launched.
October 6 » The High Court of Australia sits for the first time.
October 31 » The Purdue Wreck, a railroad train collision in Indianapolis, kills 17 people, including 14 players of the Purdue University football team.
Christening day September 27, 1903
The temperature on September 27, 1903 was between 6.3 °C and 19.5 °C and averaged 13.3 °C. There was 5.6 hours of sunshine (47%). Source: KNMI
April 19 » The Kishinev pogrom in Kishinev (Bessarabia) begins, forcing tens of thousands of Jews to later seek refuge in Palestine and the Western world.
July 1 » Start of first Tour de France bicycle race.
July 19 » Maurice Garin wins the first Tour de France.
November 3 » With the encouragement of the United States, Panama separates from Colombia.
December 16 » Taj Mahal Palace & Tower hotel in Bombay first opens its doors to guests.
December 30 » A fire at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois kills at least 605.
Day of death December 13, 1916
The temperature on December 13, 1916 was between -0.5 °C and 4.8 °C and averaged 2.6 °C. There was 7.0 mm of rain. There was 1.2 hours of sunshine (15%). The average windspeed was 3 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the south-southwest. Source: KNMI
In The Netherlands , there was from August 29, 1913 to September 9, 1918 the cabinet Cort van der Linden, with Mr. P.W.A. Cort van der Linden (liberaal) as prime minister.
March 16 » The 7th and 10th US cavalry regiments under John J. Pershing cross the US–Mexico border to join the hunt for Pancho Villa.
July 19 » World War I: Battle of Fromelles: British and Australian troops attack German trenches as part of the Battle of the Somme.
August 14 » Romania declares war on Austria-Hungary.
August 17 » World War I: Romania signs a secret treaty with the Entente Powers. According to the treaty, Romania agreed to join the war on the Allied side.
August 28 » World War I: Germany declares war on Romania.
December 6 » World War I: The Central Powers capture Bucharest.
Day of burial December 15, 1916
The temperature on December 15, 1916 was between 0.7 °C and 3.6 °C and averaged 2.4 °C. There was 1.0 mm of rain. The average windspeed was 3 Bft (moderate breeze) and was prevailing from the south east. Source: KNMI
In The Netherlands , there was from August 29, 1913 to September 9, 1918 the cabinet Cort van der Linden, with Mr. P.W.A. Cort van der Linden (liberaal) as prime minister.
When copying data from this family tree, please include a reference to the origin: Hans Weening, "Family tree Weening", database, Genealogy Online (https://www.genealogieonline.nl/stamboom-weening/I66477.php : accessed February 12, 2026), "Geeske van der Merk (1903-1916)".
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