Father - Vincent's father was Theodorus van Gogh (8 February, 1822 - 26 March, 1855), a priest of the Reformed Church of the Netherlands. He studied theology in Utrecht and in 1849 became a preacher in Groot Zundert village, where he was confirmed by his father, a priest himself. In comparison with his father and his brothers his occupation and social position were quite modest: throughout all his life he was a rural priest in different localities of Northern Brabant (Etten, Helvoirt, Nuenen), most inhabitants of which were Catholics and consequently Protestant curacies were small and unlucrative - only 120 people of 6000 Zundert inhabitants belonged to Reformed Church. "A handsome dominie" (as he was called by some people), he was not an outstanding preacher; however, his parish treated reverend van Gogh with respect and love, and his marriage with Annon Cornelia nee Carbentus was considered to be a model one.