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30 Nov 2022

Coenraad Rijsdijk (1844-1923) married his niece Pietertje Rijsdijk (1869-1946)

Coenraad Rijsdijk was born on 20 June 1844 in IJsselmonde, Holland. His parents are Arij Rijsdijk (1815-1883) “the elder” and his first wife Pietertje Mens (1820-1847). Coenraad had an elder brother Arie Rijsdijk “the younger”, born on 29 October 1841 in IJsselmonde.
After their mother’s death on 20 November 1847 in nearby Ridderkerk, their father married Lena de Ruiter on 14-3-1840 in nearby Barendrecht. By the time Arij “the elder” married his third wife, Maria Monfrooij (1826-1892), on 10 September 1880 in IJsselmonde, Coenraad was already a married man.

Coenraad’s elder brother Arij “the younger” was the first to marry on 27 June 1863 in IJsselmonde. His bride was Maria Wuister (1840-1880). Maria and Arij had several children, including a daughter Pietertje Rijsdijk, born on 30 January 1869 in IJsselmonde. Arie Rijsdijk “the younger”, aged 29, died on 30 April 1871 in Charlois, now part of Rotterdam. His widow Marie Wuister died at the age of 39 on 4 March 1880 in Barendrecht, leaving her daughter Pietertje an orphan at the age of 11. Thus, Pietertje's uncle Coenraad Rijsdijk became her guardian.

At the age of 23, on 24 April 1868 in IJsselmonde, Coenraad Rijsdijk had married 20-year-old Trijntje de Ruiter. She was born on 12 August 1847 in IJsselmonde, and her parents were Arie de Ruiter (1796-1863) and Pieterje van der Velde (1809-1890). Coenraad and Trijntje had 10 children, but most of them died young, including twin daughters. Trijntje died on 26 March 1886 in Spaarndam, Holland, 2 weeks after giving birth to her youngest daughter, who died young, too.
The next year, on 24 March 1887 in Barendrecht, 42-year-old Coenraad Rijsdijk married his 18-year-old niece Pietertje Rijsdijk whose guardian he was. On 29 November 1886 the couple had obtained a special permission to marry, because an uncle-niece marriage is usually not allowed. The couple also got permission to marry without fees, because they were poor, so Coenraad’s job as “merchant” was likely more like a humble door-to-door salesman.

Dutch King Willem III gave permission for this uncle-niece marriage

Pietertje Rijswijk gave birth to a death baby in IJsselmonde on 22 July 1887 around 4 o’clock. It’s unknown if the baby was either a miscarriage, or full-term - and then conceived before the wedding ceremony. Three more pregnancies resulted in lifeless children. Twelve other pregnancies were successful, but half of those children died young anyway.

22 Nov 2022

Gijsbrecht Lambrechts Cruijck and Delft pottery

An important pottery dynasty was the family of businessman Lambrecht Gijsbrechtsz. Cruijck, who bought factory “De Dissel” in 1640. He had enough money to encourage experimentations and push innovations. With the influx of money and inventiveness, an much experimenting, Dutch pottery factories managed to make a thin type of earthenware which was covered with a white tin glaze. Although made of low-fired earthenware, it resembled porcelain amazingly well. The Delft factories were able to produce some exceptional masterpieces in high quantities, and became one of the leading ceramic centers in Europe.

Delft Blue

Lambrecht Gijsbrechtsz. Cruijck had at least three children who either bought shares in other factories, or married other factories owners.
His daughter Christijna Cruijck (†1677) was married in 1643 to Wouter van Eenhoorn (†1679), who owned - or had shares - in “De Porceleyne Fles” (The Porcelain Bottle), “De Grieksche A”, “De Paauw”, “De Drie Posteleyne Astonne” (The Three Porcelain Ash-Barrels) and “Het Hooge Huys” (The High House).
Another daughter married Willem Cleffius (also: Klestius), who originated in Köln in Germany, and was living in Amsterdam. He invested in several pottery factories, too.
Lambrecht’s son Gijsbrecht Lambrechtsz. Cruijck owned “De Porceleyne Schotel”, “De Dissel”, “De Witte Ster” (The White Star) and “De Paauw”. Lambrecht’s grandchildren later reproduced a similar scheme, and - until around 1720 - they had a quasi-monopoly over the industry.

The Dutch Delftware industry was closely protected and supervised by the Guild of Saint Luke. Self-employed pottery owners were required to obtain the title of master from the Guild. This level of mastery was ensured by a compulsory master’s test and an additional financial contribution.
Soon after his father's death in 1644, Gijsbrecht Cruijck became a master pottery baker on 23 October 1645. His work was praised for the skilfully modelled forms, the elegance and the slightly pale decor that stood out against a light, azure blue background.

The old church in Delft

A prenuptial agreement was made on 1 July 1646 in Delft between Gijsbrecht Kruijck and his betrothed Annetgen van Lit. Gijsbrecht was accompanied with his brother-in-law Wouter van Eenhoorn and his uncle Harmen Willems Braije. Annetgen was assisted by her father Wouter Claess van Lit. The couple were married on the 22nd. Gijsbrecht Kruijck had 6 children buried in the period 1648-1663, and additionally a son in 1670. Lambertus, Hendrick and Judith, who reached adulthood and were married, are most likely his surviving children.

Pottery factory “De Paauw” (The Peacock), located at the Koornmarkt in Delft, was founded in 1651. Initially its ownership was shared among several people. In 1663 Willem Cleffius, Gijsbrecht Lambrechtsz Cruijck, Wouter van Eenhoorn and Leendert van der Let were its owners. In 1677 Gijsbrecht was no longer one of them.
Gijsbrecht was also owner of pottery factory “De Porceleyne Schotel”. He had bought the latter from Dirck Hieronimusz van Kessel in the 1640s. That factory had grown into a row of houses, barns and yards, and included 2 mills, and its own clay laundry, which was located on the east side of the town.

Gijsbrecht's son Lambrecht married Louijsa, daughter of Simon de Breet, on 29 August 1683 in Delft. Lambertus and Louijsa had a large family together, including children named Anna, Simon, Mari, Beatrix, Joannes, Hendrintje and Judith. This Lambrecht Cruijck died on 2 February 1713 in Wateringen. His descendant Johanna Kruijk (1795-1874) was the mother of Johanna Zuijderwijk (1832-1878) who lived in Rhoon, and is an ancestor of my nephews.
Annetgen van Lit was buried in Delft on 19 February 1665. Her widower, Gijsbrecht Lambrechts Cruijck, died on 27 January 1682, and was buried on the 30th in Delft.

Sources: StadsArchiefDelft.nl, Aronson.com, Archive.org, StichtingBehoudVanOud.nl, Wikipedia.org, List of historical pottery factories in Delft.

16 Nov 2022

Swede Anders Paulson (1865-1919) in Holland

Anders Paulson was born on 16 March 1865 in Eskilstorp, Bastad, Skåne, Sweden. His mother is Hersti Nilsdotter. His father is Paul Nilsson who died, aged 70, in 1909 in Sweden.

Anders father was Paul Nisson
Bredasche Courant, 8-11-1909

In 1907 engineer Anders Paulson started a company for manufacturing and selling matches and related items. His his associate was Leonardus Jacobus Maria Eras. The company was located in Teteringen near Breda, Brabant, The Netherlands.
1908 was a special year for Anders Paulson. On 24 June 1908 in Numansdorp, Holland, Anders married Neeltje Hendrika (“Nellie”) Kluifhoofd. She was born on 14 November 1873 in Numansdorp as daughter of Susanna Niemantsverdriet (1837-1923) and Dirk Kluifhoofd (1837-19121), mayor of Numansdorp.
On 9 December Swede Anders Paulson was naturalised as a Dutch citizen.

Anders became a Dutch citizen
Nederlandsche Staatscourant, 15-6-1910

The eldest son of Anders Paulson and his wife Nellie was Frans Paul Dirk, born on 16 July 1910 in The Hague, Holland. A son named Anders - like his father - was born in May 1913 in Breda.

13 Nov 2022

Surname Line With the Longest Stay in a Locality

On his Genea-Musings Blog, Randy Seaver wrote about a Surname Line With the Longest Stay in a Locality. Many of my ancestors lived for several generations in the city of Dordrecht, on an island named the "Hoeksche Waard", and also in an area known as the "Langstraat" (a small protestant area, surrounded by a much larger catholic area). Most of my ancestors all used to live in Holland, a geographical region and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands, so lines of ancestors in one region is not a challenge for me at all. Therefore I've made a line of ancestors (a) living in one city, Dordrecht, (b) living on one island, the Hoeksche Waard, and (c) living in one village, Strijen.

On my mother's side I've got family that has been living for 9 generations in the city of Dordrecht:

  1. Baerthout Pietersz de Sterke was born in Gouda and moved to Dordrecht; his son is
  2. Matthijs Baerthoudsz de Sterke who was baptised in Dordrecht and lived there; his son is
  3. Baerthout Thijssen de Sterke (1640-1712) who was born in Dordrecht and lived there; his son is
  4. Pieter Baerthoutsz de Sterke (1672-1716) who was born in Dordrecht and moved in 1706 to Rotterdam; his son is 
  5. Pieter de Sterke (1705-1769) who was born in Dordrecht and lived there; his son is 
  6. David de Sterke (1733-1797) who was born in Dordrecht and lived there; his son is 
  7. Pieter de Sterke (1765-1842) who was born in Dordrecht and lived there; his son is 
  8. Arie de Sterke (1796-1892) who was born in Dordrecht and lived there; his daughter is
  9. Adriana de Sterke (1828-1917) who was born and lived in Dordrecht. She is my great-great-grandmother.

My paternal ancestors all lived on an island named the Hoeksche Waard. It's located to the west of the city of Dordrecht, and to the south of the city of Rotterdam. Around 1600 my Bos family was living in Puttershoek in the north of the island. After the reclamation of a new polder at the south of the island, my paternal ancestors moved to the new village of Numansdorp. In the early 19th century my paternal ancestors moved to a dike just south of the tiny village of Cillaarshoek. Finally, my father moved to the nearby village of Strijen near the end of his life.
My paternal ancestral line has 12 generations on one island:

  1. Gijsbert Gerrits Boschman lived around 1600 in Puttershoek in the Hoeksche Waard, an island. He is the father of
  2. Gijsbert Cornelisse Bos who lived in Numansdorp in the early 17th century. He is the father of
  3. Cornelis Gijsberts Bos (1655-1731) who was born in Numansdorp, and lived there. He is the father of
  4. Leendert Cornelisse Bos (1693- ±1725) who was born in Numansdorp, and lived there. He is the father of
  5. Cent Leenderts Bos (1723-1783) who was born in Numansdorp, and lived there. He is the father of
  6. Leendert Cente Bos (1755-1830) who was born in Numansdorp, and moved to Cillaarshoek, both in the Hoeksche Waard. He is the father of
  7. Cent Leenderts Bos (±1788-1869) who was born in Numansdorp, and lived in Cillaarshoek, both in the Hoeksche Waard. He is the father of
  8. Cornelis Bos (1813-1888) who was born in Cillaarshoek and lived there. He is the father of
  9. Teunis Bos (1853-1923) who was born in Cillaarshoek and lived there. He is the father of
  10. Hendrik Bos (1901-1985) who was born in Cillaarshoek and lived there. He is the father of
  11. Teunis Pieter Bos (1929-2021) who was born in Cillaarshoek and lived there, and - at the end of his life - in nearby Strijen, both in the Hoeksche Waard. He is the father of
  12. me; I grew up in Cillaarshoek in the Hoeksche Waard, an island.

2 Nov 2022

Vijgeboom cousin marriage: Elisabeth & Herman Hendrik in Rotterdam

The cousins Elisabeth Vijgeboom (1761-1827) and Herman Hendrik Vijgeboom (1763-1822) were married on 23 February 1790 in Rotterdam. They were both grandchildren of Hermann Wiethoff (†1758) and his wife Anna Elisabeth Fiegenbaum (1711-1770) who lived in Ladbergen, Tecklenburg, Germany.

Tecklenburg

Elisabeth was baptised in Rotterdam on 4 November 1761 as the eldest child of Willem Hendrik Vijgeboom (1734-1804) of Ladbergen, and his first wife Catharina Goudtfijn. Elisabeth had younger sisters named Hendrina and Johanna.
In Ladbergen on 1 May 1763, Herman Hendrik Vijgeboom was born or baptised as son of Johann Diederich Fiegenbaum, a younger brother of Willem Hendrik above. His mother was Elisabeth Hurkeweert.

Herman Hendrik and Elisabeth are the parents of
  1. Johan Diederik was born on 13 December 1790, and baptized on the 16th in Rotterdam with witness Adriana Kampsteeg. He died on 1 February 1791, and was buried on the 5th in Rotterdam.
  2. Willem Henderik was born on 25 December 1791, and baptized on New Year’s Day 1792 in the Zuiderkerk church in Rotterdam with witness Willem Hendrik Vijgeboom. He was married in 1810 to Geertruide allegonda Vermeer who originated in North-Brabant. Willem Hendrik outlived his wife by 4 years, and died on 28 May 1864 in Rotterdam at the age of 75.
  3. Anna Catharina Geertruida was born on 6 May 1793, and baptized on the 12th in the Zuiderkerk church in Rotterdam with widness Adolf Vijgenboom. She was 1¾ year old when she died on 14 March 1795 and was buried on the 17th in Rotterdam.
  4. Neeltje, born on 31 December 1794, and baptized on 4 January 1795 in Rotterdam with widness Neeltje Vijgenboom. She may have died young, too.
  5. Catharina Henderika Herman, born on 5 January 1797, and baptized on the 8 in Rotterdam with widnesses Herman Henderik Kievit and Catharina Viegenbaum. At the age of 18, she was married to Wilhelmus Gerardus Hogendijk on 27-9-1815 in Rotterdam. She died there on 18 May 1817, aged just 20. She had given birth 19 days earlier.
  6. Herman Hendrik, baptized on 2 December 1798 in Rotterdam with widness Johanna Francina Steur. He was 1¾ year old when he died in Rotterdam on 12 October 1800.

In the winter of 1790-91 Herman Hendrik and Elisabeth were living in the Zwanestraat opposite a distillery. From early 1792 to early 1797 the couple was living at the Schiedamse Dijk.
Harmen Hendrik Vijgenboom died in Rotterdam on 16 may 1822, aged 59 years and 15 days. His widow, Elisabeth Vijgeboom, died there on 11 Febraury 1827, aged 64.

Rotterdam
Rotterdam

Sources: www.stadsarchief.rotterdam.nl, WieWasWie.nl, www.archieven.nl, www.delpher.nl, www.zeeuwengezocht.nl, www.fiegenbaum.org.

29 Sept 2022

Elizabeth (“Lijsie”) Starrenburg, born in “Lekkerlandt”

Barend de Bruin was born in the county of Tecklenburg in Germany. Confusingly, Barend was sometimes also called “Jan Barend”. He was married on 23 June 1761 in Rotterdam. His bride was Elizabeth (“Lijsie”) Starrenburg, born in “Lekkerlandt”.

Tecklenburg
Tecklenburg

On 20 November 1761 at the Wester churchyard in Rotterdam they had a nameless child buried. They had a daughter named Cornelia baptised both on 10 October 1762 and 12 April 1767 in Rotterdam, both times with witness Jannetie Starrenburg. Jannetie was also the witness when the couple had their son Jan baptized on 9 September 1763. Their son Teunis was baptized on 9 November 1769 in Rotterdam with witness Magteltje Starrenburgh. At the age of 1, Teunis was buried there on 11 December 1770.

Early 1771 Barend de Bruin died, leaving 2 children. He was buried in Rotterdam on 19 February 1771. His daughter Barendina was born posthumously, and baptized on 29 September 1771 with witness Magdalena Starrenburg. Little Barendina de Bruin was buried at the age of 1½ on 19 July 1773 in Cool.
Elizabeth died at the age of 82 on 4 February 1813 in Rotterdam. Her parents were Jan Starrenburg (†1774) and Cornelia (“Knelia IJmmers”) van Vuuren (†1793). 

Barend's surviving children were Jan and Cornelia, although Cornelia likely died young, too. Their son Jan was a widower when he remarried on 17 April 1803 in Rotterdam. His bride was Everina (“Everijntje”) Maas, widow of both Jean Henri Blacquere and Dirk Hogendam. Everina's parents are Jan Maas and Anna Margaretha van den Berg.
Jan died on 16 April 1821 around 11 o’clock in Rotterdam, aged 56 years, 7 months and 22 days. His widow Everina Maas died on 2-4-1827 in Rotterdam, aged 77 years, 2 months and 24 days.

Rotterdam
Rotterdam

Sources: www.stadsarchief.rotterdam.nl, WieWasWie.nl, Families of South Holland Index (“Klappers”).

19 Sept 2022

Adam Albertijn (1687-1729) settled in South-Africa

Adam Albertijn was baptized on 21 July 1687 in Delft, Holland, with witnesses Benedictus Haan and Anna Bruyns. His parents are Nathaniel Albertijn and Aletta van Dongen. Adam had a sister Cornelia Albertijn.

Carpenter Adam Albertijn was first married on 7 May 1713 in Delft. His bride was Cornelia Kock. Both the bride and the groom were living in Delft. The couple had a son Nathaniel, known as "Daniel", baptized in Delft on 16 January 1715 with witnesses Jacob de Ruiter, the child's uncle-by-marriage, and the child's grandmother Aletta van Dongen.

Adam Albertijn had his salary paid to the family of his eldest son

Adam Albertijn joined the Dutch East India Company, and boarded the flute ship “Delfland” as a soldier. The ship departed from the Isle of Goeree in Holland on 21 September 1718, and arrived at Cape Good Hope in South-Africa on 17 January 1719. Adam's salary was send to his mother-in-law. She was the widow of Jacob Kock senior, and was taking care of Adam's young son Daniel. Daniel's mother and Adam's wife, Cornelia Kock, had died. By 1728 Daniel's grandmother had died, too, and Daniel was living with his maternal uncle Jacob Kock junior.

7 Sept 2022

Longevity ~ Maria Timmermans (100) in Bergen op Zoom

Maria Timmermans, born in Hoeven in Brabant, The Netherlands, was 44 years old when she married. The groom was Wilhelmus (“Willem”) van der Sluijs, born in Roosendaal in Brabant. They were both living in Bergen op Zoom in Brabant, when they were married there on 17 December 1721. Witnesses were Catharina van Heinsbergen and Guilelmus Criael who were married on that same day. Maria's marriage lasted for over 50 years, so Willem may have been somewhat younger than his bride.

Maria was sickly and laying in bed when she and Willem first had a will drawn up on 20 February 1725.
They had another will drawn up on 28 February 1747. One of Maria's beneficiaries was Willem Timmermans, minor son of her half-brother Aernout Timmermans. Another beneficiary was Maria Timmermans (†1772), wife of Johannes (“Jan”) Belderbos. That Maria was an illegitimate daughter of the elder Maria's deceased brother Cornelis Timmermans. Maria Timmermans and Willem van der Sluijs had been witnesses on 20 January 1736 in Bergen op Zoom at the baptism of Godefridus, son of Jan Belderbos and the younger Maria Timmermans.
A Willebort Timmermans was named as guardian of the minor heirs. On 31 October 1762 the couple had another will drawn up. That time Aernout's son was not mentioned.

Maria Timmermans, widow of Willem van der Sluijs, died on 25 December 1778 in Bergen op Zoom, at the age of 100. Her inheritance was handled by Anna Timmermans.

Leeuwarder Courant, 4-3-1778

Sources: Delpher.nl, WestBrabantsArchief.nl, WieWasWie.nl.

18 Aug 2022

Julius Zevenbergen (1861-1948) in Iowa

Julius Zevenbergen was born on 3 March 1861 in Barendrecht, Holland, as Jillis Koedood, the illegitimate son of 23-year-old Ida Koedood. Ida was born in Rhoon, Holland, on 20 December 1827 as Ida Cornelia, daughter of Jillis Koedood (1804-1850) and his wife Pietertje van 't Hof. Hence, Ida had named her son after her father.

Jillis was born on 3-3-1861 in Barendrecht as illegitimate son of Ida Koedood.

Ida Koedood, aged 25, was married on 28 May 1863 in Barendrecht to Pieter Zevenbergen, aged 26. They claimed Jillis was their son, and thus he acquired the surname Zevenbergen. It is, however, not likely that Ida's spouse was also the natural father of Jillis.
Pieter Zevenbergen was born on 26 January 1837 in Charlois (now part of Rotterdam). His parents are Arij Zevenbergen (1797-1851) and Pleuntje Lems (1799-1874).
Within her marriage Ida Koedood was 9 more times pregnant. In 1877 there was a stillborn son. Two other children died before the age of 2. Arie (1864-1928), Pietertje (1865-1919), Pleun (1867-1943), Lena (1872-1918) and Pieter (1880-1963) all survived, and remained in The Netherlands. Another son, Jan Zevenbergen (1869-1958), was to follow his brother Jilles to the USA.

On 13 May 1886 in Barendrecht, at the age of 25, Jilles Zevenbergen married Adriaantje de Zeeuw. She was born in nearby Heerjansdam on 5 April 1863. Her parents are the late Jan de Zeeuw (1828-1881) and his wife Aagje Hartman.
Jilles’ eldest son, Arie Zevenbergen, was born on 22 November 1892 in Barendrecht.

Jilles traveled to the USA with his wife and son and took the name “Julius”. His son Ike was born on 21 January 1897 in Middelburg, Sioux County, Iowa, USA. His daughter Agnes Edith was born there on 24 February 1899. They had a total of 10 children. In 1914 the family moved to the vicinity of Ocheyedan, Osceola County, Iowa.

On 15 February 1922 Julius’ daughter Agnes Edith married Tunis Bras, born on 25 January 1895 in South Holland, Cook County, Illinois, as son of Arie Bras (1865-1959) who originated in Almkerk, Brabant, The Netherlands. Tunis' mother was Helena (“Helen”) van der Heijden (1868-1944). Mrs. Helen Bras was killed in the afternoon of March 28, 1944, when the car driven by her husband, Arie Bras, was struck by the southbound Dixie Limited on the C&EI crossing one and a half miles south of Kinney's Corner.
Julius’ son Ike married Jannetje Sara (“Jennie”) Monster (1904-2006). She was a daughter of Dina Hendrina (“Dena”) Verhoek (1879-1968) and her husband Arie Monster (1877-1948). Arie is a male-line descendant of an earlier Arie Monster who lived around 1700 in Sint Anthoniepolder, Holland.

Julius' wife, Adriaantje de Zeeuw, died in Ocheyedan on 28 March 1925, aged 62.
Julius Zevenbergen died at the Hull Hospital, Saturday evening, 24 April 1948, at the age of 87 years. He had been in good health - until a few weeks ago when he was taken to the hospital for an emergency operation, from which he never recovered.

Julius had a son of the same name, born on 25 September 1903 in Middleburg, Sioux County, Iowa. With his wife Ethel Runia (1910-2005), Julius jr. had 2 children. He died on 2 December 2002 in Harris, Osceola County, Iowa, aged 99.

De Volksvriend, 30-10-1947


Julius' younger brother John Zevenbergen had followed him to the USA in 1920.

Sources: FindAGrave.com (Julius Zevenbergen), FindAGrave.com (Tunis Bras), WieWasWie.nl, StadsArchief.Rotterdam.nl, Delpher.nl.

12 Aug 2022

John Zevenbergen (1869-1958) followed his brother to the USA in 1920

John was born as Jan on 26 November 1869 in Charlois (now part of Rotterdam). He was a younger son of Pieter Zevenbergen (1837-1913) and Ida Koedood (1837-1911). Two younger siblings died young, but Jilles, Jan and 5 other siblings all reached adulthood. 

Jan Zevenbergen was married on 29 October 1897 in Hoogvliet, Holland, to Susanna Voogt, born on 8 March 1876 in Hoogvliet, Holland. Her parents are Willem Voogt and Jacoba Konijnenburg.
Jan Zevenbergen and his wife Susanna lived in Rotterdam at different locations. They had several children, starting with a twin Jan and Jacoba, born on 21 April 1898 who both died after 5 months. Their other children are summarised in the table below.
Their eldest surviving son Pieter Willem Zevenbergen, born on 14 April 1899 in Rotterdam, was married there on 24-10-1923. That’s the last time anything about Jan’s family was registered in The Netherlands.

The family of Jan Zevenbergen and his wife Susanna

3 Aug 2022

Longevity ~ Samson Joseph Vos (109) in Amsterdam

Samson Joseph Vos died in Amsterdam on 2 January 1836, supposedly in the old age of 109. In 1829, he had been taken in at the a retirement home on Roeterseiland, enclosed by canals, in Amsterdam.

Samson Joseph was born in northern Hesse in Germany. As a child he moved to Amsterdam with his parents.
For most of his life Samson Joseph had been trading in scrap iron. He had married Rachel, daughter of Abraham Pisota. She had died at the age of 64 in 1797 in Amsterdam. The couple had 7 sons and 3 daughters, and several grand- and great-grandchildren.

Rotterdamsche Courant, 7 January 1836

26 Jul 2022

Burgardus van Duijn (1780-1829)

Burgardus van Duijn was born on 25 June 1780, and baptised on 9 July in Strijen, Holland, with witness Maria van Millegen, his maternal grandmother. Burgardus is the eldest son of Hubertus van Duijn (±1750-1820) who originated in Vlaardingen, Holland. Hubertus' first wife, Margaretha Oskamp, was the mother of his 6 children. On 31 October 1798 in Leiden, Hubertus married his second wife Anthonetta van Elder.

Burgardus van Duijn was married in Willemstad on 24 october 1801 to Elisabeth Geertruij Ophorst. She was baptised in the village Fijnaart and Heijningen on 25 April 1779. Her parents are Adrianus Ophorst and Lucia Botbijl (1747-1790). Adrianus and I have common ancestors in Arnoldus Janssen Ophorst (±1661-1737) and Peeter Aerts Oerlemans (±1579-1660).
The first child of Burgardus van Duijn and Elisabeth Geertruij Ophorst was buried on 15 February 1803 in Willemstad. Their daughters Margreetje and Lucia were born in Willemstad, too. A son Adrianus van Duijn (1811-1867) was born in Hoogeveen. Catharina Maria Gerarda (1815-1817), Gerharda Catharina Cornelia and Pieter Benjamin were born in Utrecht.
Burgardus van Duijn died suddenly, aged 48, on 3 March 1829 in Dendermonde, Belgium. At the time Belgium and The Netherlands were still one country. His widwo Elisabeth Geertruij Ophorst died at the age of 63 on 3 January 1843 in 's-Hertogenbosch in Brabant.

Opregte Haarlemsche Courant, 10-3-1829

15 Jul 2022

Jacobus Wilhelmus Casparus Backer (1758-1834) & family

Jacobus Wilhelmus Casparus Backer was chief constable of police, and warden of the prison in Tiel. He passed away in Tiel on 17 July 1834, at the age of 85. His wife, Margaretha Polmans, originated from Bruges in Belgium, and had died at the age of 78 on 11 March 1824.

Opregte Haarlemsche Courant, 24-7-1834

Jacobus Wilhelmus Casparus Backer was baptised on 19 December 1758 in Altforst (in the Betuwe area of The Netherlands). His father Hendrik Gijsbert Backer (1731-1796) and mother Bernhardina Elisabeth ("Barendina") Eilbracht, were married on 7 April 1752 in Altforst. Two years later, on 26 April 1754, Johannes Egbertus Backer - Hendrik Gijsbert's brother - and Jacoba Maria Eilbracht - Barendina's sister - were married, too. Both couples had several children.

Opregte Haarlemse Courant, 23-11-1802

30 Jun 2022

Marinus, a Murderous Madman in the Kootkar family

This blog post is about a 14-month-old baby that was murdered by her mad uncle. The grandparents of the baby are workman Jan Kootkar (26) and Hendrika Maria van Gasteren (25) who were married on 4 March 1859 in Culemborg in The Netherlands.

Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant, 23-3-1899

Jan Kootkar was born on 14 December 1832 in Culemborg as son of Hermanus Kootkar (1809-1890) en first wife Jannigje Bron. Jan's great-grandfather is Hermanus Kootkar of Meppen in Germany.
Jan's bride, Hendrika Maria, was born on 12 January 1834 in Culemborg as daughter of Johannes van Gasteren and Helena Ladrak. On 25 March 1851 in Culemborg, at the age of just 17, Hendrika Maria had given birth to an illegitimate son named Willem Johannes. Upon his mother's marriage, Willem Johannes was officially acknowledged by Jan Kootkar as his lawful son, although it is unlikely that he actually was his biological son.
Jan Kootkar and his wife had several children born in Culemborg, including sons Hermanus, born on 19 March 1861, Johannes, born on 16 February 1868, and Marinus, born on 20 January 1673. Jan Kootkar died on 12 January 1875 in Beusichem near Culemborg, when Marinus was 1 year old.
Jan's widow, Hendrika Maria van Gasteren, married 62-year-old agrarian Dirk van Heevelingen on 15 December 1876 in Culemborg. He was a childless widower. At the age of 3, Marinus had acquired a stepfather., and, at the age of 7, Marinus acquired a stepsister Willemina van Heevelingen (1880-1917).
Dirk van Heevelingen died on 11 March 1889 in Culemborg, aged 74. At that time, Marinus was 16 year old. Early 1897, 24-year-old Marinus Kootkar moved to Rotterdam.

For a while businessman Marinus Kootkar was living in Rotterdam

In Culemborg on 12 March 1897 Johannes Kootkar married Johanna Catharina Gudde. She was born on 12 February 1876 in Loosdrecht, Holland, as daughter of Willem Gudde (1823-1884) and Elizabeth Zevenboom (1835-1900). On 16 January 1898 in 's-Hertogenbosch their eldest child, Elisabeth, was born.

21 Jun 2022

Twins in the Koomans family in Canada

Hubert Coomans married Maaijke van Bezooijen (†1809) in 's-Gravendeel, Holland; they had several children of whom 5 survived. Their son Arij Koomans (±1771-1818) fathered 11 children, including 3 surviving sons.
One of his descendants is another Arie Koomans (1882-1920) who married 26-year-old Davina Willemina den Hartog on October 16, 1909, in 's-Gravendeel. Arie and Davina Willemina were the parents of series of 3 twins.
On September 2, 1911, their first twin was born. One son was stillborn, the other was named Jan. On January 7, 1914, the twins Dirk and Huigje were born. The third twin was born on February 4, 1916. Those children were named Cornelis and Piet.

Dirk Koomans, his wife Dien, and their 4 eldest children


In 1939 Dirk Koomans married my aunt Gerdien (Dien) de Jong (1919-1999). They had several children before they boarded the ship "Waterman" on June 24, 1952, and emigrated to Canada Their youngest children were born in Chatham, Ontario. Initially, Dien suffered terribly from homesickness. Meanwhile, Dirk started a company in demolition services, and became very successful at it. He died in 1989.

Passengers
Sources and further reading:
  1. WieWasWie.nl.
  2. W.H. Koomans, dr. mr. J.C. Maris: Het geslacht Koomans uit Klundert en Fijnaart, Nederlandse Leeuw, 1936.
  3. Mr. J. Muller: De familie Koomans uit de Hoeksche Waard, Nederlandse Leeuw, 1942.
  4. J. Moermond: De familie Coomans, Goers, Dingemans en Ardonne, Genealogisch Tijdschrift voor Midden- en West-Brabant, 1983.
  5. J.W. Zondervan: Korrekties en aanvullingen op de families Coomans, Goers, Dingemans en Ardonne, Genealogisch Tijdschrift voor Midden- en West-Brabant, 1984.
  6. StadsArchief.Rotterdam.nl.
  7. Family lore.

12 Jun 2022

Longevity ~ Adrianus Naaktgeboren (91)

Adrianus Naaktgeboren is a younger son of Jacob Naaktgeboren (1806-1878) and Lena Mol (1808-1890). They were married in 's-Gravendeel, Holland, on 18 April 1833. Lena gave birth to 11 children, but 2 of them died at the age of 1, including an earlier Adrianus (1837-1839). The second Adrianus was born on 14 October 1844 in 's-Gravendeel, Holland. His eldest sister was Maria Naaktgeboren (1833-1893).

At the age of 36, Adrianus Naaktgeboren was finally married on 28 April 1881 in Strijen, Holland. His bride was Elisabeth, born on 24 December 1852 in Strijen as a daughter of Jacob Troost and Heiltje Steehouwer.
Adrianus and Elisabeth had children named Jacob Pieter, Pieter Jacob, Arie (twice) and Heiltje Lena. Jacob Pieter (1882-1956) was married on 8-9-1908 in Goudswaard, Holland. His brother Pieter Jacob was married the next day in Zuid-Beijerland, Holland.

Adrianus' wife, Elisabeth Troost, died on 2 January 1932 in 's-Gravendeel, aged 79. Adrianus survived her for 4 years and died in 's-Gravendeel on 24 February 1936 - at the age of 91.

Nieuwsblad voor de Hoeksche Waard en IJselmonde, 24-2-1936

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl.

29 May 2022

Searching the Soundtoll Registers for shipmasters sailing the Baltic Sea

The Sound Toll Registers are accounts of the dues (Deens: Øresundstold, Zweeds: Öresundstullen) which the Kings of Denmark levied on the shipping through the Sound, the strait between modern-day Denmark and Sweden. The registers from 1497 have been preserved. The registers have some gaps in the first decades, but from 1574 on the series is almost complete until 1857, when the toll was abolished.
All foreign ships passing through the strait, whether en route to or from Denmark or not, had to stop in Helsingør and pay a toll to the Danish Crown. If a ship refused to stop, cannons in both Helsingør and Helsingborg could open fire and sink it. A "ship handler" handled the paperwork at Øresund Custom House for captains in connection with Denmark's collection of Sound Dues from all ships that passed through the Øresund.

The Sound Toll Registers contain data of 1.8 million passages. Of each passage, the officials of the toll booth at Elsinore usually recorded the following data:

  • date of passage
  • name and domicile of the shipmaster
  • port of departure
  • port of destination (from the mid-1660s)
  • composition of the cargo
  • amount of toll
You can find the Soundtoll registers here:

http://dietrich.soundtoll.nl/public/advanced.php?periode=

When searching in the registers you can use the * sign to replace unknown characters.

After clicking the "Find" button you'll get the results in the right pane:

Search results in the Soundtoll Register 1634-1858

18 May 2022

Cornelis Adrianus Branderhorst left for the USA in 1895

On 20 April 1876 in a municipality in Brabant, known as "Heesbeen, Eethen en Genderen", Cornelis Adrianus Branderhorst, aged 32, married 23-year-old, and pregnant Maaike Branderhorst. She gave birth on 6 August 1876 in Genderen to a son named Pieter. I'm not sure if Cornelis Adrianus is also the boy's biological father for I can't find any more children born within this marriage.
Cornelis Adrianus Branderhorst was born on 30 July 1843 in Wijk as son of Pieter Branderhorst (1817-1893) and his wife Judick Verdoorn (1813-1881). He had a surviving sibling Adriaan Cornelis Branderhorst (1844-1878) who was a witness at his brother's wedding.
Maaike Branderhorst was born on 18 March 1853 in Genderen as daughter of Blees Branderhorst and Margrita Branderhorst (1816-1880). Maaike's elder brother Jacob was a witness at her wedding.

Cornelis Adrianus, Maaike and little Pieter were living together with the father of Cornelis Adrianus, Pieter Branderhorst sr. He was born on 11 May 1817, and died on 3 December 1892.

20 Apr 2022

Short Marriage - Adriana Bos (1838-61) and Teunis de Vos

Adriana Bos was born on 12 August 1838 in Goudriaan, Holland. Her parents are Niesje de Pater (1809-1883) and Jacob Bos (1809-1866), son of another Jacob Bos (1766-1837) and Adriana den Branker (1777-1814). Adriana's great-grandparents are Jan Bos and Elisabeth (“Lijsbeth”) Kwakernaak who were married in Goudriaan in 1761. Bos is a common surname in The Netherlands; this family is not related to my paternal Bos ancestors at all.

Adriana Bos had younger siblings Niesje, Metje, Jacob and Fop Hendrik Bos who all reached adulthood. At the age of 19, Adriana was the first to marry. On 24 April 1858 in Giessendam, Holland, she married 31-year-old Teunis de Vos. Teunis was born on 21 July 1826 in Giessendam as son of Gerrit de Vos (1796-1830) and Annigje Kuiper. Teunis was just 4 years old when his father died.

Teunis' young wife Adriana gave birth to 2 healthy sons. She died at the age of 22 in Giessendam on 25 January 1861. She had been married for just 2¾ year.
Adriana had a slightly younger sister Niesje Bos who was born on 24 September 1839 in Goudriaan. She was married in Giessendam on 25 April 1865 to Adriana's widower Teunis de Vos. Subsequently Niesje gave birth to 4 children, but 2 of them died as a baby.

These are Teunis' children: 
  1. Gerrit Pieter (Gerrit) de Vos was born on 12-3-1859 in Giessendam. In 1880 Gerrit married his first cousin Lijstje de Vos (1858-1921). She is a daughter of Willem Matthijs de Vos, one of Teunis' brothers. Gerrit died on 21-11-1909 in Ridderkerk in Holland, aged 50. 
  2. Jacob Willem de Vos was born on 9-3-1860 in Giessendam. He married Willempje Muilwijk in 1856. He died on 16-7-1933 in Giessen-Nieuwkerk, aged 73.
  3. Annigje de Vos was born on 1-2-1866 in Giessendam. Annigje married Johannes van der Plas. She died on 10-11-1949 in Heemstede in Holland, aged 83.
  4. Adrianus de Vos was born on 28-12-1866 in Giessendam. He died there on 5-4-1867.
  5. Niesje de Vos was born on 12-2-1868 in Giessendam. At the age of 55, Niesje married widower Cornelis Gerrit Westerhout (1857-1936). Niesje died on 3-11-1945 in Haarlem, aged 77.
  6. Adriana de Vos was born on 21-4-1872 in Giessendam. She died there on 3-9-1872.
Teunis de Vos died on 5 August 1892 in Giessendam, aged 66. At the time his 4 surviving children were still alive. Teunis' eldest son Gerrit died in 1909, aged 50. Niesje Bos died on 16 August 1921 in Giessendam, aged 81. She had a surviving sister Metje Bos, born on 20 April 1841 in Goudriaan, who died at the age of 90 on 3 August 1931 in Giessendam. She had married Gerrit Rietveld (1844-1932).

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Families of South Holland Index (“Klappers”).

12 Apr 2022

Vijgeboom cousin marriage: Jan Dirk & Anna Catharina in Rotterdam

Cousins Jan Dirk Albert Vijgeboom (1808-56) and Anna Catharina Geertruij Vijgeboom (1811-73) were married on 30 March 1834 in Axel, Zeeland, The Netherlands. Their common grandparents are Catharina Priggen and Johann Diederich Fiegenbaum, born in 1738 in Ladbergen, Tecklenburg, Germany.

Gardener Jan Dirk Albert Vijgeboom was born on 5 September 1808 in Schiedam, Holland. His parents are Adolph Vijgeboom (1767-1823) and his second wife Maria Staats (1760-1840). Adolph had earlier been married to Sacharina Koets (1761-1804), and had surviving daughters Catharina Vijgeboom (1795-1869) and Dirkje Vijgeboom (1800-1818).
Anna Catharina Geertruij Vijgeboom was born on 21 August 1811 in Oud-Matenesse (part of Rotterdam), and baptised in nearby Overschie on 1 September. Her parents are Johann Wilhelm (“Jan Willem”) Vijgeboom (1773-1845) and Helena (“Lena”) Spanjersberg (1776-1833). They had another daughter named Geertrui Vijgeboom (1813-1854).

Middelburg (by Jan Bulthuis)
From their marriage until their deaths, Jan Dirk Albert and Anna Catharina Geertruij would be living in Zeeland in the south-western part of The Netherlands.
Their children are: 
  1. Adolf was born in Axel on 25 May 1834. He was married to Johanna Maria Slavenburg in 1857 in Schiedam. They had a son Jan Dirk Albert Vijgeboom (1857-1924) who married - as his 3rth wife - Anna Vijgenboom (1900-1959), daughter of another Jan Dirk Albert Vijgenboom, son of Adolf’s brother Cornelis.
  2. Johan Willem was born in Koudekerke on 12 May 1837. He earned a living as a shoemaker, and died in Middelburg on 3 April 1872, aged 34.
  3. Herman Hendrik was born in Koudekerke on 4 May 1839. He died there on 7 September 1843, aged 4. 
  4. Anna Catharin died on 20 November 1841 in Koudekerke at the age of 3 months.
  5. Jan Dirk was born in Koudekerke on 5 August 1841. He likely died young.
  6. Lena Maria was born in Koudekerke on 3 January 1843. She was married in 1882 to labourer Cornelis Marinus Douw. Lena Maria died on 2 April 1916 in Colijnsplaat, aged 73.
  7. Cornelis was born in Koudekerke on 27 November 1844. He firstly married Jannetje Janse in 1872 in Middelburg. He secondly married Johanna Verwijs in 1876 in Middelburg. She’s a daughter of blacksmith Johannes Verwijs and Anthonia Kramer. Cornelis died as a widower on 1 July 1937 in Middelburg, aged 92. Cornelis had a son Jan Dirk Albert Vijgenboom, who married Johanna Bosschaart in 1896. Their daughter Anna Vijgeboom (1900-1959) married – as her 1st husband - a son of Cornelis’ brother Adolf.
  8. Harmen Hendrik was born in Koudekerke on 31 March 1846, and died there on 13 September 1846.
  9. Lena was born in Koudekerke on 4 August 1847. She died in Middelburg on 30 August 1863, aged 16.
  10. Jan Dirk was born in Koudekerke on 3 July 1850. He was married in 1883 in Amsterdam to Gesina Caalen. She died as a widow in 1925.
  11. Pleun was born in Middelburg on 5 November 1851. He was married to Madalena Verwijs in 1879 in Middelburg. She’s a sister of the second wife of Pleun’s brother Cornelis. Pleun died as a widower on 16 July 1930 in Middelburg, aged 78.
  12. Catharina (“Kaatje”) was born in Middelburg on 29 May 1854. She was married in 1888 to Petrus Thomas who originated in Aardenburg. She died on 18 October 1911 in Veere, aged 57.
  13. Harmen Hendrik was born in Middelburg on 6 april 1856. He was married in 1889 to 43-year-old Anna Jacoba van Loo. Harmen Hendrik died on 21 March 1896 in Rotterdam, aged 39.
Middelburgsche Courant, 16-6-1873

Day labourer Jan Dirk Albert Vijgenboom had been ill and suffering for quite a long time before he died at the age of 51 in Middelburg on 23 December 1856. Subsequently, his widow Anna Catharina earned a living as washerwoman. She died at the age of 61 on 13 June 1873 in Middelburg.
Their sons Cornelis and Pleun had married 2 sisters, while Cornelis’ granddaughter Anna Vijgeboom married Adolf’s son Jan Dirk Albert Vijgeboom as his 3rd wife.

Sources: www.zeeuwengezocht.nl, www.fiegenbaum.org, WieWasWie.nl, www.delpher.nl, www.stadsarchief.rotterdam.nl, www.archieven.nl, wikipedia .

4 Apr 2022

A Kootkar Family of Meppen in Germany (2): Hermanus

The previous blog post was about Anna Maria Elisabeth Francisca Kootkar who was born in Meppen in Germany. This post is about Hermanus Kootkar who was born in Meppen, too.
Hermanus kootkar was married on 5 April 1763 in Culemborg in The Netherlands to Margaretha Roelofs, who was born in Amsterdam. The next day their wedding was celebrated in the catholic church with witnesses Theodorus Tienhoven and Anna Maria de Weert. A notice of their intended marriage had been registered in Amsterdam, too, on 11 March.

Marriage of Hermanus Kootker and Margaretha Roelofs in 1763 in Culemborg

Hermanus and Margaretha are the parents of 
  1. A child was buried on 28-1-1764 in Culemborg.
  2. Wilhelmus Jacobus was baptised on 27-4-1765 in Culemborg with witnesses Willemina Bardon, Wilhelmo Jacobo Kootker.
  3. Joanna Maria (“Maria”) was baptised 18-3-1768 in Culemborg with witnesses Anna van Sticht, Maria Schoelle. Maria was married in Culemborg on 25-5-1790 to Jacob Berentsen, born in the vicinity of Rees in Germany. They had several children. Maria died, as a widow, on 1-6-1829 in Culemborg.
  4. Juliana was baptised on 3-6-1770 in Culemborg with witness Juliana Schole.
  5. Joanna Juliana was baptised on 17-9-1771 in Culemborg with witnesses Jacomijn Joosten and Juliana Scholle. Juliana Kootker married Joseph Bergman and had children. Juliana Kootker died on 23 August 1811 in Leiden, a few days after giving birth. She was buried there on the 26th.
  6. Joanna Catharina was baptised on 28-8-1773 in Culemborg with witnesses Josephus Antonius, Maria Elisabetha Kootker. She may have died unmarried on 5-3-1838 in Rotterdam.
  7. Harmanus was baptised on 17-10-1776 in Culemborg with witness Arnoldus Roelofs. Hermanus Kootker jr. was married on 1-11-1796 to Maria Stoffels, and had some children. Hermanus died in Culemborg on 20-1-1848 around 15:00, aged 71.
  8. Johannes Wilhelmus was baptised on 5-5-1779 in Culemborg with witness Elisabetha Kootkar. In Utrecht on 26-4-1805 he married Jacoba Margarita (“Margaretha”) Roelofse. They had some issue. He died on 6-10-1841 in Utrecht (see below).
  9. Antonius Josephus was baptised on 9-12-1781 in Culemborg with witnesses Reckje van Panwijk, Antonio Josepho Kootker. A child of Hermanus Kootker was buried on 17-12-1781 in Culemborg.
  10. Joannes was baptised on 27-6-1784 in Culemborg with witness Anna Maria Kootker (his eldest sister). Joannes was buried on 10-8-1784 in Culemborg. 
  11. Joannes “Jan” was baptised on 13-10-1785 in Culemborg with witness Joanna Maria Kootker (his eldest sister). Jan was married on 2-5-1809 in Culemborg to Hendrika de Jong. They had several children, including a son named Hermanus. Jan died in Culemborg on 16-2-1816, aged 30.

24 Mar 2022

A Kootkar Family of Meppen in Germany (1): Elizabeth

Jan van Dam was baptised on 22 May 1757 in Zwijndrecht, Holland, as the eldest son of Melis van Dam and Pieternella de Bondt (±1735-1799). Jan's mother is a descendant of my 17th-century ancestor Arij de Bondt. Jan had 4 younger sisters and 2 younger brothers.
Jan was living in Culemborg in the middle of The Netherlands when he met a Roman Catholic girl, Anna Maria Elizabeth  Francisca Kootkar. She was born in Meppen just across the Dutch border in Germany. Her surname is also written as Kootker, Coutker, Kooter, and even Houtker.
Elizabeth and Jan were married on 28 October 1781 in Culemborg.


Jan and Elizabeth had 2 daughters:
  • Juliana was baptised on 28 July 1782 in Lexmond with witness “Pieternella van Dam” - likely grandmother Pieternella de Bondt, wife of Melis van Dam. Juliana was married on 14 May 1808 in Dordrecht to Johannes Pieter Hill. He was likely born in Enkering in Germany, and died in 1857 in Dordrecht. Juliana died there on 9 August 1876 at the age of 94. They had daughters named Anna Elisabeth, Juliana (1813-1877) and Johanna.
  • Pieternella was baptised on 18 October 1792 in Amersfoort. Pieternella died on 4 April 1874 in Rotterdam. Pieternella was married to
    1. Johannes “Jan” Virulij (also: Verleij) on 26 March 1817 in Rotterdam. He was a widower of Rotterdam, baptised in 1766. He died in 1823. Jan and Pieternella had sons named Johannes, Dirk and Pieter.
    2. Johannes Frederik Schnaar (1797-1824) on 27 December 1826 in Rotterdam. His eyes, hair and eyebrows were brown. They had children named Frederik Jacob, Maria Elizabeth and Cornelis.
Juliana van Dam was married in 1808 in Dordrecht

Jan van Dam died in Dordrecht on 30 July 1833 around 17:00, aged 76. His widow, Anna Maria Elisabeth Francisca Kootkar, died on 9 September 1843 in Dordrecht. Her age was given as 93.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, FamilySearch.org, HetUtrechtsArchief.nl, StadsArchief.Rotterdam.nl, RegionaalArchiefDordrecht.nl, RegionaalArchiefRivierenland.nl, GeldersArchief.nl.

16 Mar 2022

How Anton Philips is related to Karl Marx

When searching Dutch newspapers on the Delper.nl website for "Marx PROX Philips" loads of erroneous descriptions of the relation between those 2 families appear. Therefore, I decided to write a blog post on how Anton Philips is related to Karl Marx.

Anton  Frederik Philips was born in Zaltbommel, The Netherlands, on 14 March 1874, as a younger son of Benjamin Frederik  David Philips (1830–1900) and Maria Heyligers (1836–1921). Anton’s elder brother Gerard (1858-1942) and their father Frederik founded the Philips Company as a family business in 1891. Anton Philips served as CEO of the company in the period 1922-39. Gerard and Anton also supported education in the city of Eindhoven, and social programs and facilities. Philips had started as a light bulbs factury, but nowadays it's a multinational conglomerate corporation.
Anton Philips married Anne Henriëtte Elisabeth Maria de Jongh (1878-1970). They had a son Frederik Jacques (“Frits”) Philips (1905-2005) and 2 daughters. Anton Philips died in Eindhoven on 7 October 1951, aged 77.
Anton’s paternal grandparents are Lion Philips (1794-1866) and Sophie Presburg (1792-1854). Sophie belonged to a prosperous Jewish business family from Nijmegen in The Netherlands. Sophie and Lion and their children were living in Zaltbommel.

Market Square of Zaltbommel around 1850. The 4th home on the right was the home of Lion Philips.

3 Mar 2022

Pieter Joosten Stooker, a quadruple ancestor around 1600

Pieter Joosten [= son of Joost] Stooker may have been born around 1570. He had a brother named Arie who married and had children, too. Pieter married Willemken Bastiaens, a daughter of Bastiaen Joostsz.
In 1597 Pieter Joosten was living in 's-Gravendeel, while he bought some farmland in the Nieuw-Bonaventura polder west of 's-Gravendeel. By July 1617 Pieter was death. His widow died before February 1624.
Pieter and Willemken had 6 known children, 3 of whom are my ancestors:

  1. Pieter may have been born around 1595. He owned a house in 's-Gravendeel. Around 1620 Pieter married Lijsbeth Harmens and they had at least 2 sons: Pieter and Harmen, who is my ancestor.
  2. Joost was still alive in 1623.
  3. Neeltje married Andries Adriaensz Polderdijk in 1629 in nearby Sint-Anthoniepolder. Andries is a son of my sixfold ancestor Adriaen Matthijsz. Andries and Neeltje had at least 6 children, including Adriaen and Maijken who are both ancestors of mine. After Neeltje's death around 1646, Andries married Jannichie Willems Polderdijk and had at least 2 more children.
    1. Adriaen Andriesz Polderdijk was baptised on 18-1-1632 in Sint-Anthoniepolder. He married Joossie Geerits and they had at least 6 children, including a daughter Neeltje, who is my ancestor.
    2. Maijken Andries Polderdijk was born on the 8th and baptised on 11-9-1639 in Sint-Anthoniepolder. She married Jacob Heijndriks Monster who was born on the 24th and baptised on 27-6-1638 in Sint-Anthoniepolder. This couple had at least 4 children, including a son Adriaen, who is my ancestor.
  4. Annetje was born around 1605. She married Isaac Pietersz. (de) Kreeck and had at least 7 children in 's-Gravendeel.
  5. Arien married Dirksie Willems, daughter of Willem Ariensz. Lapper. They had at least 7 children in 's-Gravendeel, including a son Ingen whose death was registered on 10-5-1702 in 's-Gravendeel. Ingen is my ancestor, too.
  6. Maergen was still alive in May 1617, but died before February 1624.

Sources: s-Gravendeel.net, Doopboek Sint Anthonie Polder 1628-1705 en aanvullende artikelen van W.T. Molema-Smitshoek in "Ons Voorgeslacht" in 2020 en 2021, artikelen van K.J. Slijkerman in "Ons Voorgeslacht" 2009 en 2010, Kwartierstaat Valk door Th. Douma in "Prometheus Kwartierstatenboek" III, Kwartierstaat Kwekel – van der Hor door ir. F. Kwekel in "Prometheus Kwartierstatenboek" II en een update daarop bij HoGenDa.nl.

24 Feb 2022

Longevity ~ Hermanus Knoopmeijer (103), widower of Pieternella Brons

When Hermanus Knoopmeijer died in Amsterdam on 23 February 1827, his age was 103 years and 2½ month. He was born in Zwolle, and had been living in de Rozenstraat in Amsterdam. His parents are Bernardus Knoopmeijer and Swaantje Swiers. They had Hermanus baptised in Zwolle on 8 December 1723.

Bredasche Courant, 19-1-1828

Pieternella Brons and Hermanus Knoopmeijer signed up to get married on 21 April 1747 in Amsterdam. Hermanus was assisted by his father Bernardus (“Barend”) Knoopmeijer. The bride was assisted by her mother Jannetje Vollenhoven.
Pieternella's father was baptised on 15 Februry 1689 in Nieuwpoort, Holland, as Adriaen, son of Adriaen Adriaens Brons and Pieternella Pieters Truir with witness Maerighje Pieters. Adrianus (“Arie”) Brons (28) and Jannetje Vollenhoven (21) signed up to get married on 11 May 1719 in Amsterdam. They had children baptised in Amsterdam in the years 1724-1739. Among the witnesses at the baptisms were people of the Vollenhoven family. Their daughter Pieternella was likely born around 1725. 

Hermanus Knoopmeijer and Pieternella Brons signed up to get married in Amsterdam.

14 Feb 2022

Extracts of emigration cards of Dutch people in Australia 1946-1991

Though the Dutch were the first Europeans to visit Australia and New Zealand, initially colonisation did not take place. It was only after World War II that a sharp increase in Dutch emigration to Australia occurred. Poor economic prospects for many Dutchmen, and houses destroyed in the 1953 flood were powerful incentives to emigrate.
With Australia experiencing a shortage of agricultural and metal industry workers it, and to a lesser extent New Zealand, they seemed an attractive possibility, with the Dutch government actively promoting emigration.

You can search in the extracts of the emigration cards here:

https://www.nationaalarchief.nl/onderzoeken/index/nt00335

You can search with the whole surname - or a partial surname to get more results.


There's also a Commonwealth Government Agencies database (ca. 1850 - ca. 1975):

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/BasicSearch.aspx

This database includes a large number of individuals from the Netherlands and Belgium.


7 Feb 2022

A double Beltman marriage in 1890 in Iowa

Jan Hendrik (“John”) Beltman died on Sunday, 6 September 1890, at the Sheldon Hospital at the age of 94 years and 5 months. Three weeks earlier, John Beltman fell and broke his hip while living at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Arie Lucas of Sheldon.

De Volksvriend, 6-3-1890

John was born 19 April 1865 in Hoonte near Neede, The Netherlands. He had a sister Hendrika, born on 18 February 1867 in Dorpbuurt near Winterswijk, the Netherlands. Within 3 months, on 15 May 1867, their mother Aaltjen Nijhof, died at the age of 37.
Their father is farmer Hendrik Beltman, born on 3 November 1826 in Borculo, southwest of Neede, as son of an earlier Hendrik Beltman (1794-1854) and his wife Hendrika Schekman - also Scheggetman.
Hendrik married his second wife, Janna Grooters (24), on 20 September 1867 in Winterswijk. In July 1877 Hendrik, his wife and his children Jan Hendrik and Hendrika left The Netherlands for the USA.

The siblings Jan Hendrik and Hendrika Beltman were married on the same day in March 1890:

  1. Jan Hendrik (“John”) married Jacomina Alida (“Minnie”) van Amerongen, born on 16 June 1870 in Amsterdam as eldest daughter of Garret van Amerongen (1861-1911) and his wife Femmetje Lamberta Roosma (1839-1903). John and Minnie farmed at the home place until they moved to Alton.
    Children: Jennie, Jacomina Alida, Henry, Fannie, Gerrit, Alice, William, Henrietta, and a child that died in infancy.
  2. Hendrika Beltman married Willem (“William”) Geurink, born on 4 October 1865 in Lintelo, The Netherlands, as son of Evert Geurink (1830-1913) and Everdina Grootnibbelink (1837-1906).
    Children: Dena, Henry W., Everett, Gerrit, Jennie, Alice, Wilmina, William Everett, Harold E. Geurink.

Hendrik Beltman and his second wife celebrated their 25-year anniversary in 1892 in Aldon. In the summer of 1913, Johan and Hendrika Beltman and their spouses visited The Netherlands.

De Volksvriend, 10-7-1913

Hendrika Beltman died on 18 June 1932 in Iowa, and was buried at the Nassau Township Cemetery in Alton, Sioux City, Iowa. Her widower, William Geurink died on 23 February 1954 in Orange City.
Minnie van Amerongen died on 22 April 1931 in Orange City, Sioux County. As a widower, John Beltman live for a while with his youngest son William and his family. Later he returned to Alton, and made his home with his oldest daughter, Mrs. Anthony Schuller. In 1890 he moved to another daughter in Sheldon. Funeral services for John Beltman were held in the First Reformed Church of Alton, and internment was in Nassau Township Cemetery.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, www.delpher.nl, Erfgoed Centrum Achterhoek-Liemers online,
FindAGrave.com (with John Henry Beltman, Jacomina Alida van Amerongen, Willem Geurink),
IowaGraveStones.org.