From Salary Savings to Landlord: The Figure Who Controlled 1,400 Hectares of Land

Owning land in Jakarta today is no easy feat. In premium areas such as the Sudirman Central Business District (SCBD), land prices have reached approximately Rp200 million to Rp300 million per square metre. However, around 140 years ago, one man managed to accumulate wealth through his wages to eventually purchase thousands of hectares of land in Batavia, which is now Jakarta. That figure was J.M.L. Bohl, a Dutch immigrant who became known as one of the largest landowners during the Dutch East Indies era.

According to archives from the daily newspaper Het Nieuws van den Grand voor Nederlandsch-Indie dated 19 June 1920, Bohl arrived in Batavia around 1864 at the age of 16. Contrary to his later image as a wealthy man, he began his life as an ordinary employee at the trading company Pitcairn Syaae & Co. His earnings were not immediately spent on a lavish lifestyle; instead, he chose to save until he had the capital to purchase land, a decision that ultimately changed his destiny.

‘After working, he turned to buying land and, while still young, became a landowner in Matraman and Sinajan (Senayan),’ the newspaper wrote. This investment strategy proved profitable. Bit by bit, Bohl expanded his land ownership until he controlled two areas that are now vital parts of Jakarta. Data from the Handboek voor Cultuur en Handels-ondernemingen in Nederlandsch-Indië (1896) records that Bohl owned land in Senayan spanning 1,474 bau, or approximately 1,000 hectares. At the time, the area was utilised for paddy fields and coconut plantations, with a value reaching around 36,000 guilders.

He did not stop there; he also acquired private estates in Matraman. According to the Adresboek van Nederlandsch-Indië voor den Handel (1896), his land area there reached 502 bau, or about 400 hectares. In total, Bohl controlled approximately 1,400 hectares of land in Batavia. Today, much of that territory has transformed into areas of extremely high economic value.

The wealth from his land business made Bohl’s life vastly different from when he first arrived in Batavia. In Matraman, he built a large residence. Furthermore, he kept dozens of deer, a symbol of luxury reserved for the colonial elite. His lands also produced agricultural commodities such as rice and coconut, which served as a steady source of income.

Despite his success, Bohl’s private life was relatively reclusive. According to the Bataviaasch Nieuwsblad, he rarely socialised and was primarily known to the public as a large-scale landowner. Beyond his success as a landlord, Bohl also entered the political arena. The newspaper De Locomotief, in its 21 August 1908 edition, noted that he ran as a council member representing the Meester Cornelis region. His influence in Batavia grew not only due to his wealth but also because of his position within the colonial government.

Bohl passed away on 18 June 1920 at the age of 72, following an appendectomy at a hospital on Jalan Salemba, after suffering complications from kidney failure. His death marked the end of private control over the vast lands in Senayan and Matraman, as various colonial archives state that these assets were subsequently taken over by the Dutch East Indies government. Nevertheless, the name J.M.L. Bohl remains etched in history as one of Batavia’s greatest landowners. Ironically, the land he once purchased through disciplined savings has become some of the most expensive and strategic areas in Jakarta, ranging from Senayan and SCBD to Matraman.