Jacob Otten (also known as Jacobus Otten) (1739, Ubach - October 15th 1771, Herzogenrath) was a shoemaker from Ubach and a supposed Bokkenrijder. He was one of the first convicts from the third persecution period.
Personal life
On March 18th 1739 Jacob Otten is baptised in Ubach as son of Arnold and Maria Rinckens; he was probably born begin March. He continues to live in Ubach and works as shoemaker. On February 3rd, when he is almost 21, he gets married in Merkstein with the 23 year old Joanna Maria Cardaun/Cardous, daughter of Nicolaas and Elisabeth Essers, baptised on October 18th 1736. Between 1760 and 1769 they have four sons, of which the youngest is around two, and the oldest around eleven when their father passed. His wife passes on January 7th in Merkstein. Further information about Jacob Otten isn't known, apart from the fact that he is described as a tall man.
Trial
Not much of the procedural documents from Ottens have been preserved. We know his name is mentioned on January 10th 1771 by Joseph Keyser, the first to be arrested. A few weeks later he accuses Leonard Louppen, but withdraws his statement a day before he is executed. Even though he withdrew the statement, it had been kept in the documents of suspects, such as that of Leonard Louppen.
On October 15th 1771 he dies at the gallows on the Beckerberg in Herzogenrath, together with eight others: Joseph Keyser, Joseph Ploum, Willem Ploum, Gabriël Reinarts, Peter Pauwels, Cornelis Dautsenberg, Adolf Steyns, en Hendrik Steyns.
Jacob Otten is 32 years old when he dies. He leaves behind a wife and children.
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