Samuel Cornelis van Musschenbroek was raised at ‘Klein Hoenlo’ in Olst. He went to school in Deventer and some years to the Polytechnical school in Delft. When his father for personal reasons decided to emigrate to South Africa, Sam did not join them but went for a career in the Dutch Indies, He had already spend some years at the sugar plantation in Tjomal,that was owned by his mothers family Teding van Berkhout. He had to start at the bottom and in 1882 decided to return to Holland for further education. He followed lectures mainly in Germany and made valuable friends with whom he kept in contact for the rest of his life. When he returned to the Indies in 1884 he became administrator of the plantation. His activities and his relentless strive to improve production drew the attention of the Nederlandse Handelsmaatschappij, who appointed him as superintendant of the factories on West Java. As chairman of the General syndicate of sugar plantations he also came into contact with politics. He was a very hard worker and had the reputation of great dedication to the sugar industry.

In 1907 he returned to Holland a fortunate man and became partner in Van Heekeren & Co, a banking firm in Amsterdam. He also invested in the development of ‘De Peel’ in the South of Holland and started a farm in Odiliapeel. He settled in one of the most prestigious houses on the Keizersgracht for the winter months and lived in Baarn in summer. He died in 1914 at the age of 57 after a heart attack.