On April 29, 1872, she moved into the house called Molenhuize (later renamed Huize Rozen-Haeghe) on Molenstraat, together with her husband Abraham Anthonie ’s Graeuwen, a retired Navy Captain Lieutenant. This stately ‘manufacturer’s villa’ was demolished in 1960.
In 1883, Uncle Johannes (Jan) van Gogh (1817–1885) also moved to Helvoirt. During his career with the Royal Netherlands Navy, he rose to the rank of vice-admiral and rear admiral. For his service, he was awarded the highest Dutch military honor, the Military Order of William. From his distant travels, he brought back gifts for the children of his brother Theodorus, with whom he shared a close bond. Among them was a Makassarese dog from the Dutch East Indies, named Fédor. As director of the Amsterdam Naval Dockyard, he provided shelter to his nephew Vincent in 1877–1878, when Vincent was in Amsterdam pursuing preliminary studies in theology. In this way, he played an important role in Vincent’s life. After his retirement, he moved in with his sister Truitje at Rozen-Haeghe in Helvoirt. Uncle Jan was close friends with her husband Bram ’s Graeuwen, who had also held a high-ranking naval position. Two years after moving to Helvoirt, Uncle Jan passed away. On the initiative of his brother-in-law and naval friends, he was honored in 1886 with an elaborate tombstone at the cemetery of the Reformed Church, where Aunt Doortje and Aunt Antje are also buried.
While more and more family members came to live in Helvoirt, Reverend Van Gogh received an appealing offer to take up a post in Etten. The family accepted the offer; the position was more favorable, and the cost of living was lower and simpler, according to Mrs. Van Gogh. On October 17, 1875, Theodorus delivered his farewell sermon, after which the family left Helvoirt. In October 1884, he was again invited to serve as minister in Helvoirt, but despite fond memories of their time there, he ultimately decided not to return.
