Genealogie Bos

This is my English-language Genealogy & Ancestry Blog.
(Mijn Nederlandstalige blog is genealogiebos.blogspot.nl).

1 Aug 2025

Dutch ancestors of author Pearl S. Buck - the Stulting family

Pearl S. Buck (1892-1973) was a writer and novelist. I read her fictionalised biography of Chinese Empress Dowager Cixi. Pearl was born as Pearl Sydenstricker in Hillsboro, West Virginia, to Caroline Maude Stulting and Absalom Sydenstricker, of Dutch and German descent respectively. In October 1892, her parents took their 4-month-old baby to China. The surname Buck derives from Pearl's first husband John Lossing Buck (1890–1975). On the same day in 1935 that Pearl divorced him, she married her publisher Richard J. Walsh.

Pearl's mother, Caroline Maude - “Carie” - Stulting (1857-1921), is a daughter of Hanna Sonnius (1816-1876) and silversmith Hermanus Stulting. They were married on 18 March 1840 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Their eldest children were born in Utrecht, including a daughter Arnolda, born there on 20 September 1846. Later, in the USA, the girl was known as Arnolda Dorothy. More children were to follow, including Pearl's mother.
Hermanus Stulting died on 30 September 1905 in Hillsboro, Pocahontas County, West Verginia. Hermanus was born in Utrecht on 5 October 1816 as son of Cornelis Johannes Stulting and Arnolda Broekman. Arnolda Broekman was born in Amersfoort, east of Utrecht. Hermanus' parents were married in Utrecht on 20 March 1811. Hermanus' grandparents were Hermanus Stulting, Hendrica Lebben, Nicolaas Broekman and Gerritje van der Linden.

Cornelis Johannes Stulting married Arnolda Broekman on 24 March 1811 in Utrecht

In 1847 Cornelis Johannes Stulting travelled to the USA. Cornelis Johannes died on 19 March 1861, aged 71. He was survived by his widow and his namesake son.

Utrechtsche Provinciale en Stads-courant (newspaper), 24-4-1861

Cornelis Johannes Stulting was baptised in Utrecht on 6 January 1790 as son of Hendrika Lebben (1764-1835) and tailor Hermanus Stulting (1763-1832). This couple was married on 14 July 1789 in Utrecht in a Roman Catholic church known as the Catharijnekerk. Another couple with the same surnames, Johannes - “Jan” - Stulting (1767-1846) and Margaretha Lebbe (1775-1857), were married in Utrecht on 20 May 1793. Jan was Hermanus' brother, and Margaretha was Hendrika's sister. Their parents were Cornelis Stulting, Wilhelmina Wasbeek, Jacobus Lebbinck and Agatha Gevel.

Johanna van Diest, first wife of Cornelis Stulting, died without issue early 1753 

Cornelis Stulting and his first wife, Johanna van Diest, had a marriage contract drawn up by a notary on 27 May 1748. The couple were living in Utrecht at the Oude Gracht (old canal) near the Jacobi bridge, a monumental bridge that still stands today. Early 1753, Johanna died without issue.
Cornelis married his second wife, Wilhelmina Wasbeek, on 25 November 1762 in Utrecht. Their prenuptial agreement had been drawn up on the 5th. They had sons named Hermanus, Adrianus (who likely died young) and Johannes (Jan).
Willemina van Wasbeek, widow of Cornelis Schulting, and Maria van Wasbeek, daughters and heirs of their deceased father Adrianus van Wasbeek, appeared before a notary on on November 1, 1782. The burial in Utrecht of Willemina van Wasbeek, widow of Cornelis Stulting, was on 18 December 1791. Willemina was baptised in Utrecht on 14 October 1733 as daughter of Adrianus van Wasbeek and Johanna van den Abeele.

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28 Jun 2025

Favorite Name ~ Naaktgeboren

Amy Johnson Crow 's Theme for Week 26 is “Favorite Name”. I've chosen the surname Naaktgeboren. I don't have any ancestors with that surname, but it's a typical name in the Hoeksche Waard, an island in Holland, south of Rotterdam and west of Dordrecht. I grew up in the Hoeksche Waard, and my ancestors with the surname Bos all lived on the island.

The Dutch word "naakt" is “naked” in English, while the word "geboren" translates as “born”, so the surname can be translated in English as “born naked”.
Naaktgeboren – together with the surname Poepjes (“poopies”) – is often seen as "a textbook example" of the so-called compulsory name adoption in the Napoleontic Era, which is also known as "the name myth of Napoleon". According to persistent nonsense, people wanted to make fun of Napoleon's policy by adopting an absurd name. That myth is fake, because the surname Naaktgeboren has been in use since the 17th century.

26 Jun 2025

Longevity ~ Willem Middelkoop (94) and his daughter Johanna

The family name Middelkoop is a toponymic surname, also known as a habitational surname. That's a family name derived from a place name. These names often reflect the place of the family's origin.

Wilhelmus (“Willem”) Middelkoop was baptised on 27 November 1757 in Benschop, Utrecht, The Netherlands, with witness Willemtje Vogel. His parents are Huijbert Gijsbertsz Middelkoop and Margrietje Beijen. Willem had several siblings.

Willem Middelkoop and Anna Rietveld were married on 11 June 1797 in the Roman Catholic Church of Oudewater

At the age of 39, Willem married Anna (also named “Johanna” and “Annigje”) Rietveld on 11 June 1797 in Oudewater, Utrecht, The Netherlands. Witnesses at their catholic marriage were Matthias Rietveld and Gijsbert Rietveld, Anna's brothers. Anna was born in Hoenkoop and baptised in Oudewater on 22 October 1776 with witness Maria Rietvelt. Anna, Matthias (“Matthijs”) and Gijsbert are children of Jannigje van der Wal (†1804) and Gijsbertus Rietvelt*.

Anna Rietveld and Willem Middelkoop had 4 children:
  1. Margarita (Margritha) was baptised on 16-6-1797 in Oudewater. Margritha was married on 23-11-1820 in Benschop. The groom was Jacobus van Vliet, who died at the age of 64 on 9-5-1852 in Gouda. Margritha died there on 30-4-1869. They had issue.
  2. Johanna (Jannetje) was baptised on 12-9-1799 in IJsselstein. In 1828 she married Cornelis Nederhoff. Jannetje died on 4-8-1895 in Gouda.
  3. Wilhelmina was baptised on 6-4-1803 in Oudewater. On 20-11-1828 in Benschop Wilhelmina married Gerrit van den Eng. On 1-9-1836 in Broek** she married Jan Straver. Wilhelmina died on 13-8-1884 in Gouda at the age of 81. Wilhelmina had issue.
  4. Hubertus (Huibert) was baptised on 18-7-1805 in Oudewater. Huibert died in Gouda on 23-3-1865 in Gouda, at the age of 59.

7 Jun 2025

The accidents of William Witvliet (1870-1936)

William Witvliet was born on 22 September 1870 in Vriesland, Ottawa, Michigan, USA. His parents are Lammigje (“Emmely”) Bartels (1837-1921) and Pieter (“Peter”) Witvliet (1830-1897). William's paternal grandparents were Mattheus Witvliet (1801-1873) and his second wife Elizabeth Sandifort.
Among William's siblings was a brother Mattheus (“Matthew”) Witvliet (1861-1938).

At the age of 30, William married Hendrika Krans on 13 June 1901 in Zeeland, Ottawa, Michigan, USA. She was born in June 1877 as daughter of Henry Krans (1837-1922) and Henrietta Hoving (1846-1925).

William Witvliet was operating a saw in a factory, when his right hand was caught in the machine, and badly damaged. An amputation was necessary, and his arm was amputated above the elbow. William was still a young man, and had only been married for 3 months.
Matheus Witvliet, the ironmonger on 8th Street, is his brother.

De Grondwet (newspaper), 26-4-1904

After the amputation of his right arm, William had hardly any means of subsistence. Once in a while he did some temporary police service, or other temporary work.
In January 1929, William Witvliet had an unfortunate fall on the slippery sidewalk, and broke his other arm.

De Grondwet (newspaper), 29-1-1929