The documented events in the life of Leeuwenhoek and his immediate family from his birth in 1632 to the auctioning of his microscopes in 1747 after his daughter's death.

Chronology of events: Antony

For some events, the year is certain but the month and day are not. Example: We know only the year for the collections of Leeuwenhoek's letters published in Dutch during his lifetime.

For other events, the season or month are certain but the day is not. Example: Leeuwenhoek mentions that someone visited him "last month".

On the other hand, many events did indeed happen on the first day of a month. Example: public appointments to Delft's city offices took effect on January 1 of each year. Thus:

  • A date of January 1 in a given year may indicate that the year is certain but the month and day are not.
  • A date of 1 in a given month may indicate that the year and month are certain but the day is not.

Unless otherwise indicated, for events in England, the date given is Old Style, 10 days behind the Dutch Republic's New Style until 1700 and then 11 days behind.

May 29, 1686 The Royal Society decided to send a gift to Leeuwenhoek, De Historia Piscium by Francis Willughby
June 8, 1686 Bought a burial section in the Oude Kerk
September 7, 1686 Examined silkworm eggs
November 5, 1686 Visited by Jacob Gronovius
January 1, 1687 Published Anatomia Seu Interiora Rerum (Interior Anatomy), 19 Letters from 28 - 52
January 1, 1687 Published Anatomia Seu Interiora Rerum (Interior Anatomy), Letters 43, 42, 38
January 1, 1687 Published Vervolg der Brieven (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53 - 60
April 5, 1687 Guarantor for Johan Francisco de Raet when he became a citizen of Delft
October 7, 1687 Appointed curator of the abandoned estate of Evert van der Sijde
January 1, 1688 Published Vervolg der Brieven (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53 - 60 (2nd)
September 15, 1688 Published Den Waaragtigen Omloop des Bloeds (On the True Circulation of Blood), Letter 65 (L-200)
January 1, 1689 Published Continuatio Epistolarum (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53-60
January 1, 1689 Published Tweede Vervolg der Brieven (Second Continuation of the Letters), Letters 61 - 67
April 1, 1689 Did not write any letters between April 1689 and mid-September 1691
April 23, 1689 Appointed guardian of the children of Jacob Bellart
September 7, 1690 Bought the other part of the garden outside the walls of the city
January 1, 1691 Published Onsigtbare Verborgentheden (Invisible Mysteries), Letters 38, 42, 43 (2nd)
January 1, 1692 William Molyneaux wrote about a visit to Leeuwenhoek
March 25, 1693 Published Derde Vervolg der Brieven (Third Continuation of the Letters), Letters 68 - 75
April 4, 1693 Received an honorarium from the city for his books of letters
November 21, 1693 Appointed guardian of his dying wife Cornelia Swalmius
November 30, 1693 Hans Sloane was elected Secretary of the Royal Society and editor of Philosophical Transactions, publishing 68 articles by Leeuwenhoek over the next twenty years
December 5, 1693 Rented St. Agnieten Tooren from the city for 12 years
December 29, 1693 Sold the garden outside the walls of the city
December 31, 1693 Promised to pay five gulden for the ransom of a neighbor's son from Algerian pirates
January 1, 1694 Published Onsigbare Geschapene Waarheden (Invisible Creation Truths), Letters 32, 39, 33
January 1, 1694 Published Vierde Vervolg der Brieven (Fourth Continuation of the Letters), Letters 76 - 83
January 6, 1694 wife Cornelia Johannes Swalmius buried
February 12, 1694 Presented act of guardianship to the Weeskamer after Cornelia's death
March 2, 1694 Presented Cornelia's will to the Weeskamer
May 11, 1694 Received an honorarium from the city for Vierde Vervolg der Brieven (Fourth Continuation of the Letters)
June 4, 1694 Visited Pieter Rabus in Rotterdam
January 1, 1695 Published Arcana Naturae Detecta (Nature's Mysteries Disclosed), Letters 32, 33, 37, 39 - 41, 61 - 92
January 1, 1695 Published Register van alle de Werken, Letters 28 - 83
April 30, 1695 Bought bonds and annuities from the city of Delft
December 19, 1695 Received an honorarium from the city for the Fifth Continuation of the Letters (Vijfde Vervolg der Brieven)
January 1, 1696 Published Antony van Leeuwenhoeks 37ste Missive, Geschreven aan (Written to) de Heer Cristopher Wren
January 1, 1696 Published Antony van Leeuwenhoeks 40ste Missive, Geschreven aan (Written to) de Heer Francois Aston
January 1, 1696 Published Arcana Naturae Microscopiorum (Nature's Mcroscopical Mysteries), 19 Letters from 28 - 52 (2nd)
January 1, 1696 Published Continuatio Epistolarum (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53-60 (2nd)
January 1, 1696 Published Levende Dierkens (Living Animals), Letters 28 - 31, 34 - 36 (2nd)
January 1, 1696 Published Sout-figuren (Salt figures), Letters 44, 45 (2nd)
January 1, 1696 Published Vijfde Vervolg der Brieven (Fifth Continuation of the Letters), Letters 84 - 96
June 27, 1696 Named as renter of a garden outside the Schoolpoort
November 6, 1696 Received an honorarium from the city for the Sixth Continuation of the Letters
January 1, 1697 Published Continuatio Arcanorum Naturae detectorum (Continuation of Nature's Mysteries Disclosed), Letters 93 - 107
January 1, 1697 Published Sesde Vervolg der Brieven (Sixth Continuation of the Letters), Letters 97 - 107
January 1, 1697 Published Tweede Vervolg der Brieven (Second Continuation of the Letters), Letters 61 - 67 (2nd)
January 1, 1697 Published Zaden van Boomen (Seeds of Trees), Letters 46, 47 (2nd)
January 1, 1698 Published A. van Leeuwenhoeks 41ste Missive, Geschreven aen (written to) de Koninklijke Societeit tot Londen
January 1, 1698 Published Onsigtbare Verborgentheden (Invisible Mysteries), Letters 38, 42, 43 (3rd)
July 1, 1698 Traveled to Antwerp, visited Daniël Papenbroek
March 4, 1699 Listed as a correspondent of Claude Burlet by the Académie des Sciences of Paris
August 1, 1701 At age 68, his 50th publication in Philosophical Transactions
January 1, 1702 Published Sevende Vervolg der Brieven (Seventh Continuation of the Letters), Letters 108 - 146
January 1, 1704 Published Vervolg der Brieven (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53 - 60 (3rd)
January 1, 1704 Tried to resign from city inspector / wine gauger job
July 1, 1707 At age 74, his 75th publication in Philosophical Transactions
January 1, 1708 Published Arcana Naturae Microscopiorum (Nature's Mcroscopical Mysteries), 19 Letters from 28 - 52 (3rd)
May 8, 1708 Bought neighboring property on Nieuwstraat
December 4, 1710 Visited by Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach: "more of ingenuity than foundation"
February 11, 1712 Made will; he and daughter Maria universal heirs
January 1, 1713 Published Cinnaber Naturalis (Natural Cinnabar), Letters 48 - 52 (2nd)
January 1, 1715 astronomer Edmond Halley, editor again of Philosophical Transactions from 1715-1719, published only one letter by Leeuwenhoek
January 1, 1715 Published Continuatio Epistolarum (Continuation of the Letters), Letters 53-60 (3rd)
February 27, 1715 Appointed executor of Leeuwenvelt estate
June 3, 1716 Jacob van den Werf, notary, wrote Letter L-535, the notary act whereby Leeuwenhoek received a medal from the faculty at Louvain
June 25, 1716 Witnessed baptism of great-niece Barbera, who died two weeks later
September 1, 1716 Visited by Hermaan Boerhaave, Frederik Ruysch, and Abraham van Bleiswijk
June 8, 1717 Named as neighbor in the inventory of Pieter van der Wilt's property

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