Hijman van Praag, the son of Gerrit van Praag and Esther Oudkerk, was born in Den Helder on 5 October 1884 and he was a merchant by profession. On 19 April 1910 he married Elsje Oudkerk, a daughter of Emanuel Oudkerk and Jogeva Sloog, in Den Helder. Elsje was also born in Den Helder on 20 March 1883 and the couple lived at Spoorgracht 46.
The Van Praags soon moved to Keizersstraat 76 in Den Helder…