Boomgaard was born in Groningen, The Netherlands, where he also died. His father was a boat captain, and civil records show he followed the same career, yet only after he had returned from his position as a soldier in the 33rd Light Infantry Regiment in Napoleon’s Grande Armée; he had even fought for Napoleon in Russia. On 4 March 1818, aged 29, Boomgaard married Stijntje Bus, who died on 24 March 1830 at age 33 a month after their eighth child had been born. Almost a year later, on 21 March 1831, Boomgaard married Grietje Abels Jonker and had 4 more children. Grietje died on 18 May 1864 at the age of 71. Boomgaard outlived all of his twelve children; his last surviving child, Jansje Hinderika, died in May 1885 at the age of 57.

Towards the end of his life, Boomgaard became well-known for his age; the portraits made on the occasion of his 100th and 107th birthdays were popular throughout the country; even Princess Emma, Queen Regent at the time, had received a copy of one of the portraits.

Boomgaard died at the age of 110 years, 135 days on 3 February 1899. His record-setting age was surpassed by Margaret Ann Neve on 30 September 1902; his record as the oldest verified man ever was surpassed 64 years later, on 28 October 1966, by John Mosley Turner of The United Kingdom who lived to be 111 years, 280 days, a year and 145 days more than Mr. Boomgaard’s record.