. ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁September ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁in ▁O uden bos ch ▁and ▁died ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁February ▁ 1 9 6 3 ▁at ▁He em st ede , ▁The ▁Netherlands . ▁He ▁stayed ▁thirty ▁years ▁in ▁the ▁Dutch ▁East ▁Ind ies ▁and ▁did ▁research ▁on ▁plant ▁tax onomy ▁on ▁the ▁islands ▁of ▁Java ▁and ▁Mad ura . ▁ ▁Biography ▁ ▁Netherlands ▁( 1 8 7 4 – 1 9 0 0 ) ▁▁ ▁From ▁his ▁father ' s ▁side ▁Back er ▁was ▁a ▁sc ion ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁of ▁school ▁teachers , ▁from ▁his ▁mother ' s ▁of ▁the ▁less er ▁pe asant ry . ▁On ▁his ▁birth ▁certificate ▁his ▁surname ▁was ▁written ▁Bak ker ▁instead ▁of ▁Back er . ▁Following ▁time - hon oured ▁custom ▁Back er , ▁when ▁fifteen , ▁attended ▁the ▁State ▁Te ach ers ’ ▁Sem inary ▁at ▁H aar lem ▁( 1 8 8 9 – 1 8 9 3 ). ▁His ▁interest ▁in ▁bot any ▁had ▁already ▁expressed ▁itself ▁at ▁the ▁Sem inary . ▁After ▁his ▁final s ▁he ▁had ▁posts ▁at ▁several ▁small ▁villages . ▁This ▁was ▁the ▁time ▁that ▁he ▁came ▁into ▁contact ▁with ▁some ▁famous ▁Dutch ▁contemporary ▁botan ists , ▁e . g . ▁Hend rik ▁He uk els ▁( 1 8 5 4 – 1 9 3 6 ) ▁and ▁Edu ard ▁He im ans ▁( 1 8 6 1 – 1 9 1 4 ). ▁ ▁Dutch ▁East ▁Ind ies ▁( 1 9