In the 18th century, several men with the surname Vijgeboom were living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. When marrying, their place as origin was given as Ladbergen in the Tecklenburg area in Germany. Two of them were named Willem Hendrik and Jan Dirk.
When Willem Hendrik Vijgeboom died on 21 November 1804 in Rotterdam-Cool, he was described as being 70 years and 3 months old. His body was transported to Rotterdam on the 24th. He was buried in Rotterdam on the 26th. The website www.fiegenbaum.org features a Wilhelm Heinrich Fiegenbaum, born or baptized on 24 September 1734 in Ladbergen as the eldest son of Anna Elisabeth Fiegenbaum (1711-1770) and Hermann Wiethoff (†1758). This couple's 11 children used thier mother's surname.
Wilhelm Heinrich had a younger brother Johann Diederich Fiegenbaum, born or baptized on 12 October 1738 in Ladbergen. He must be the Jan Dirk Vijgeboom, father of Adolf Vijgeboom (1767-1823) and Johann Wilhelm (“Jan Willem”) Vijgeboom (1773-1845). Another son was Herman Hendrik Vijgeboom (1763-1822) who married his cousin Elisabeth Vijgeboom (1761-1827), a daughter of Wilhelm Heinrich Fiegenbaum aka Willem Hendrik Vijgeboom, the main subject of this post.
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| Rotterdam, The Netherlands |
Willem Hendrik Vijgeboom was firstly married in 1761 in Rotterdam to Catharina (“Katrina”) Goudtfijn and they had 3 daughters: Elisabeth, Hendrina and Johanna. Willem Hendrik was married secondly in 1772 in Capelle aan de IJssel in Holland to Adriana Kampsteeg (1740-1813). They had additional 5 children including a son named Johannes Diederik Willem Vijgeboom who was baptized on 7 July 1782 in Rotterdam. He was to live in Bergen op Zoom and Goes where he died on 12 December 1815.
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| Tecklenburg in Germany |
Willem Hendrik was married to
- Catharina (Katrina) Goutfijn on 9 June 1761 in Rotterdam. Katrina was baptized in Rotterdam on 4 April 1735. Her parents are Hendrik Goutfijn (†1750) and his second wife Hendrijntje Kodde.
- Adriana Kampsteeg on 18 October 1722 in Capelle aan de IJssel. Adriana was baptized on 9 October 1740 in Hardinxveld. Her parents are Jan Rokusz. Kampsteegh and his second wife Neeltje Cornelise Bakker. Adriana was a witness at the baptism of her step-grandson Johan Diederik Vijgeboom on 16 December 1790 in Rotterdam. Adriana died on 7 April 1813 in Rotterdam.
- Elisabeth Vijgeboom was baptized on 4 November 1761 in Rotterdam with witness Johanna Gautfeijn (Goutfijn). Elisabeth was witness at the baptism of her grandson Herman Hendrik Willem Vijgeboom on 11 November 1810 in Rotterdam. Elisabeth was married on 23 January 1790 in Rotterdam to her cousin Herman Hendrik Vijgeboom. Herman Hendrik was born or baptized on 1 May 1763 in Ladbergen, Tecklenburg, Germany, as son of Johann Diederich Fiegenbaum and his first wife Elisabeth. Herman Hendrik died on 16 May 1822 in Rotterdam, at the age of 59 years and 15 days. His widow, Elisabeth Vijgeboom, died on 11 February 1827 in Rotterdam. This couple had 6 children: Johan Diederik, Willem Henderik (1791-1864), Anna Catharina Geertruida (1793-1795), Neeltje (1794-1795), Catharina Hendrika (1797-1817) and Herman Henderik (1798-1800).
- Hendrina Vijgeboom was baptized on 1 May 1763 in Kralingen with witness Johanna Goudtfijn. She may be one of the children that was buried in 1764 in Kralingen.
- Johanna Vijgeboom was baptized on 29 January 1766 in Kralingen with witness Hendrina Ko(d)de (her maternal grandmother).
- Neeltie Vijgeboom was baptized on 13 July 1773 in Rotterdam.
- Maria Vijgeboom was baptized on 7 June 1775 in Rotterdam. Her death was recorded on 23 October 1778 in Rotterdam, Cool. She was buried on 26-10-1778 in Hillegersberg (nowadays part of Rotterdam).
- Catharina Vijgeboom was baptized on 16 February 1777 in the Zuiderkerk church in Rotterdam. Catharina was married on 14 May 1797 in Rotterdam to Herman Hendrik Kiewit who originated in Westerkappeln, Tecklenburg, Germany. They had children named Jan Jacob Herman Kiewit and Adriana Wilhelmina Kiewit. Herman Hendrik Kiewit died on 17 December 1835 in Rotterdam, at the age of 42 years and 21 days. Catharina Vijgeboom died on 13 March 1852 in Rotterdam.
- Theodora or Theodoris Vijgeboom was baptized on 23 August 1778 in Rotterdam and buried there on 27 July 1781.
- Johannes Diederik Willem (“Jan”) Vijgeboom was baptized on 7 July 1782 in Rotterdam with witness Fransina Koops (wife of Arij Kampsteeg). Jan lived for a while in Bergen op Zoom. In 1811 he moved to Goes, Zeeland, The Netherlands. He died in Goes on 18 December 1815. His widow, Jannetje Keulaar (±1784-1832), married Pieter Carel Reijnders in 1821. He was remarried in 1836 to Antonia van der Maas, widow of Jacobus Johannes van Driel.
