Longevity ~ Arie Bras (1865-1959) of Almkerk in the USA

Arie Bras was born on 11 July 1865 in Almkerk, Brabant, The Netherlands. His parents are Arie Bras (1822-1901) and Wilhelmina Kamerman (1826-1892). His grandfather Leendert Bras (1793-1862) was a labourer, miller and innkeeper in Almkerk. Leendert's wife, Sijke van Drunen (1797-1874), is a direct-line descendant of my ancestor Michiel Hendrikse van Drunen, who lived around 1700 in Giessen in Brabant.
Arie Bras had many siblings, but several of them died young. Arie's elder brother Teunis Bras died on 11 February 1884, aged 24. Their siblings Sijke, Willemina and Leendert reached adulthood, too.

On 9 May 1890 in Almkerk, Arie Bras married Helena van der Heijden. She was born in Dussen in Brabant on 23 October 1868 as a younger daughter of Jan van der Heijden and his wife Cornelia Verhoeven. Arie's daughter Cornelia Bras was born on 9 February 1891 in Almkerk. She may have died young.
Arie Bras and Helena van der Heijden had further children in the USA: Cornelia Wilhelmina (1892-1873), Tunis (1895-1989), Wilhelmena Gertrude (1896-1980), Harry (1900-1974), John (1901-1993) and Helena (1908-1994). Arie's eldest son was born in South Holland, Cook County, Illinois, on 25 January 1895, and he seems to have named him Tunis after his elder brother who had died at the age of 24.

Arie's wife, Helena, died at the age of 75 on 28 March 1944 in Ganeer Township, Kankakee County, Illinois. Her widower Arie Bras died there on 19 June 1959 at the age of 93. He had survived his wife by 15 years. Arie was buried at the Kankakee Memorial Gardens. Arie's son Tunis Bras was born on 25 January 1895 in South Holland, Cook County, Illinois. He was 94 years old when he died on 28 July 1989 in Sibley, Osceola County, Iowa.

Searching for soldiers fighting for the Dutch Republic 1595-1795

An index to the "Staat van Oorlog" (States of War) has recently been added to the website of the Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (BHIC). It’s a Who-Was-Who in the Dutch army of the Republic of the Seven United Netherlands. The index can help genealogists who are looking for information about military ancestors, because the States of War zooms in to the level of the individual companies. This resource can thus greatly simplify your search for military ancestors in The Netherlands.

Marriage registrations of soldiers, may mention the name of the captain under whom the soldier in question served, but it is often quite a search to find out to which regiment that captain and his company belonged. With the data from the "Staat van Oorlog" that search becomes a lot easier.

Because the manpower potential of the small Republic's territory was so limited, the States-General had to look beyond Dutch borders for a large part of their recruits. Fortunately, in those days foreign authorities did often not object to recruitment efforts within their territories. The Republic therefore was able to obtain large numbers of recruits from Scotland, England, the Holy Roman Empire, France, and later also the Protestant Swiss Cantons.

soldier

The entire content of the "Staat van Oorlog" material was copied - as much as possible - and incorporated into the database. It contains around 400,000 registrations over the period 1595-1795, but the data for the first 50 years is incomplete.

Each entry contains a meticulous and detailed summary of the ranks of the Dutch State Army down to the level of individual companies: who was in charge, how many men did he have under him, and what were the costs? In addition, the average summary-list contains additional data, such as salaries for officers, commissioners who arranged the signing-on, guardsmen, ammunition masters, public prosecutors, teachers, preachers and gunners. A further distinction is also made between cavalry and foot soldiers. Included are military personnel stationed in multiple areas of The Netherlands, for example in Utrecht, Ommerschans, or Delfzijl.
Because these summaries were created annually, and always according to the same fixed schedule, this source is also ideally suited to follow the careers of officers in the State Army.

Link to the Database of soldiers fighting for the Dutch Republic:

https://www.bhic.nl/onderzoeken/staten-van-oorlog

This is an example with Scottish soldiers:

Sources: Uitleg over zoeken naar Staatse militairen, Hulp bij zoeken naar Staatse militairen, Informatie over staatse militairen online toegankelijk gemaakt, Dutch States Army.

Mr. Alexander Gordon (1810-84), son of Francis Cosmos Gordon

Mr. Alexander Gordon was president of the Court of Maastricht, The Netherlands, and knight in the order of the Dutch Lion. He died in at the age of 73 on 7 March 1884 in Maastricht. In earlier years, he had been a public prosecutor. Ultimately, he has participated in the Dutch judiciary for 43 years. The "Mr." before his name a title indicating that he was a master of law.

Algemeen Handelsblad, 9-3-1884

Alexander Gordon was born on 4 December 1810 in 's-Hertogenbosch as the only son of Francis Cosmos Gordon and his wife Maria Bichon (1784-1867). Francis Cosmos was born in Doornik on 11 October 1773. He a career in the army until 1799. After his return to Holland in 1803, Francis Cosmos became a tax inspector. He died on 4 May 1852 in 's-Hertogenbosch.
Alexander's grandfather was another Alexander Gordon, a soldier, who arrived in The Netherlands from Scotland, and married Dutch girl Maria Petronella Ghyben. Their eldest son, William Charles Gordon (1760-1803), was a soldier, too, but he drowned in the Waal River in The Netherlands.

On 28 September 1842 in Roermond, at the age of 31, Alexander Gordon first married Alwina Carolina Claus. She was born on 21 February 1823 in Roermond. They had 5 children in the period 1845-1854. The youngest, Philip, was born in Maastricht on 30 April 1854. His mother died there on 13 June. Philips died on 27 August in Roermond.

Alexander Gordon had been a widower for 2 years, when married his second wife, 29-year-old Carolina Juliana Sybilla Voget, on 20 October 1856 in Sittard. She was born there on 15 April 1827. They had 3 additional children born in Maastricht in the period 1857-1861.

What happened to Cornelia Gerdina Branderhorst?

Cornelia Gerdina Branderhorst was born on November 3, 1860, in the municipality of Eethen, Genderen en Heesbeen. Her parents are Catharina van Gameren (1819-1888) and Gerrit Branderhorst (1812-1882). Just 4 of her parents' 10 children survived infancy, and Cornelia Gerdina was the youngest daughter.
She was married on April 5, 1879, to Johannes van der Pol. Her eldest brother Dirk Branderhorst was one of the witnesses. The groom, Johannes, born on August 30, 1851, in Wijk. His parents are Dirk van der Pol (1827-1890) and Pieternella van Rijswijk (1830-1903). Cornelia Gerdina and Johannes had a son Dirk in 1879, who lived for 15 days, and a daughter Catharina in 1880, who lived for 16 days. In 1881-1882 the couple lived in Rotterdam.

Apparently, the marriage was not a happy one. First, they agreed on a separation. Cornelia Gerdina, housewife of Johannes van der Pol, had been living in 's-Hertogenbosch before she arrived in Genderen in March 1892. In 1893 she left for Antwerp in Belgium.
Finally, in 1897, 46-year-old Johannes van der Pol, then living in Aalburg, wanted a divorce. Since Cornelia Gerdina's place of residence was unknown, a request for her to appear in court was printed in a newspaper.

Newspaper of December 25, 1897

On April 29, 1898, a divorce was finally pronounced on the grounds of adultery by judgement of the district court in 's-Hertogenbosch. The divorce was registered in the village of Wijk-en-Aalburg on December 12, 1898. The newspaper announcement doesn't mention which of the partners had committed adultery.

Newspaper of August 22, 1898

Within 2 years, Johannes van der Pol, aged 50, died in the village of Wijk-en-Aalburg on December 2, 1901.

Sources: Salha.nl, WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl. You can find more data of Cornelia Gerdina's siblings at GeneaNet.

Longevity ~ Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan (91)

Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan was born on 16 January 1829 in 's-Gravenmoer, Brabant, The Netherlands. His parents are Nicolaas Mouthaan (1799-1877) and his wife Alberdina Prins (1804-1889). The couple had 18 children, but several of them died young.
Nicolaas is a son of Hendrik Mouthaan (1774-1808) and Willemijna Mouthaan (1777-1821) who is a daughter of Nicolaas Mouthaan (1727-1814) and Maria Mouthaan (1737-1807). I don't know how they are all related, but given their common surname and common place of origin, it's likely they are related.

Cornelis Jacobus had jobs both as farmer and shoemaker. At the age of 29, he was married on 14 October 1858 in 's-Gravenmoer. His bride was 65-year-old “cougar” Adriana Oosterhout. She was born on 1 December 1792 and baptised on the 2th as daughter of Cornelis van Oosterhout (1750-1824) and Antonia Boeser (1760-1827). Adriana's grandfather is my ancestor Jacobus Cornelisz. Boeser (1718-1780). Another ancestor of both Adriana and me the 17th-century Adriaan Cornelisz. van Oosterhout.
Adriana van Oosterhout had earlier been married on in 6 July 1817 in 's-Gravenmoer to Hendrik Konings (1776-1857). Adriana died in 's-Gravenmoer on 16 March 1875, aged 82. Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan was a widower after 16 years of marriage.

Signatures of Adriana van Oosterhout and Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan in the marriage register.

At the age of 49, Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan was married secondly on 8 March 1878 in 's-Gravenmoer. His bride, Grieta van Eersel, was 44 years old. She was born on 23 October 1833 in Gravenmoer as daughter of Jochem van Eersel and Adriana van Dongen.
Grieta had been married for just 3 years to Gijsbert Blom (1824-1868). She had a posthumous son Gijsbert Blom (1868-1949), so Cornelis Jacobus acquired a stepson. Gijsbert Blom was married on 8 February 1899 in Waspik to Maria van Pas (1876-1947). They had several children, but the marriage was to end in divorce in 1934.
Grieta van Eersel died on 13 December 1902 in 's-Gravenmoer, aged 69. Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan was a widower after 24 years of marriage.

The family of Jacobus Mouthaan, his second wife Grieta van Eersel and stepson Gijsbert Blom.

Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan survived his 2nd wife for 17 years. His brother Sijmen Mouthaan (1826-1911) died at the age of 84. His sister Hendrika Mouthaan (1830-1917) died at the age of 86. Their brother Albert Mouthaan (1836-1919) died at the age of 83. Cornelis Jacobus Mouthaan survived them all, dying at the age of 91, on 7 March 1920 in 's-Gravenmoer.

Sources: RegionaalArchiefTilburg.nl, WieWasWie.nl, BHiC.nl.

Lieutenant colonel Johann Wilhelm Schaffner (1766-1847) of Dietz

Johann Wilhelm Schaffner was baptised on 28 January 1766 in Dietz, Nassau, Germany. His parents are Anna Jacobina Bufgen, and her husband August Hieronimus Schaffner who - in 1774 - was a major in the Dutch army.

On 10 August 1825 in Cuijck, Brabant, The Netherlands, Johan Wilhelm Schaffner was married to Anna Catharina Bruns. She was born on 17 April 1805, and baptised in Cuijk on the 21th with witness Anna Catharina Ohl.
The parents of Anna Catharina Bruns are Eva Maria Ohl of Umstadt, Germany, and Johan Friederick Bruns of Lüneburg, Germany. As a widow Eva Maria Ohl was remarried on 24 January 1808 in Cuijck to Dutchman Johannes Jongedijk. Witnesses at the marriage ceremony were Peter Ohl and Georg August Ohl. George August Ohl died on 31 August 1817 in Cuijck. His parents were Georg Hendrik Ohl and Anna Maria Mitgher/Mitcher. This couple also had a son Peter Ohl who was born on 20 August 1749 in Umstadt in Germany.
Eva Maria Ohl, widow of Johannes Jongedijk, died on 22 April 1862 in Cuijck, aged 86.

The only child of Johann Wilhelm Schaffner was Maria Frederika Wilhelmina Schaffner, born on 22 June 1826 in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Brabant, The Netherlands.

Anna Catharina Bruns, aged just 27, died on 8 June 1832 in Arnheim in The Netherlands. Her widower, lieutenant colonel Johan Wilhelm Schaffner, died on 3 May 1847 in Nijmegen at the age of 81. Their only daughter died in 's-Hertogenbosch on 11 May 1866, aged 39.

Provinciale Geldersche En Nijmeegsche Courant, 5-5-1847

Sources: GeldersArchief.nl, WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, NationaalArchief.nl, en.wikipedia.org .

Robert Sutherland (†1808) in Sprang

Robert Sutherland was born in Dornoch in Scotland around 1725. In Sprang, Brabant, The Netherlands, he married 53-year-old Jenneke Koekman in November 1783, as her third husband.

Robert Sutherland married Jenneke Koekman in 1873 in Sprang

Jenneke Koekman was baptised on 15 October 1730 in Loon op Zand, Brabant, The Netherlands. Her parents are Aart Koekman(s) and Aaltje Bastert.
Jenneke's first marriage was on 23 November 1783 in Sprang to Carel de Rooij (1728-1759). They had 2 surviving sons, Dirk and Arnoldus de Rooij.
Jenneke's second marriage was on 9 May 1762 in Sprang to Dirk Vos (1714-1781), widower of Pieternella van Ammeroij (1713-1756), and father of 6 children. With Jenneke as his second wife, Dirk had 6 more children, named Jacobus, Pieter, Adriaen, Alida, Willem and Johannes Vos.

Robert Sutherland died at the age of 81 in 1808 in Sprang

Robert Sutherland died on 31 May 1808 in Sprang, where he lived, at the age of 81. His death was reported by his stepson Dirk de Rooij. Robert's widow, Jenneke Koekman died on 28 June 1810 in Sprang, aged 79. Jenneke's eldest surviving son, Dirk de Rooij, had been buried in Sprang on 15 February that same year.

Alberto Zoppi (1856-1937) in Tilburg

Alberto Zoppi was born on 13 March 1856 in Broglio, Ticino, Switserland. His father, Giacomo Zoppi, had deserted his wife Marianna Tonini in 1867. He left for the USA, and they haven't heard from him since. In The Netherlands Alberto worked as a worked as a chimney sweep.

Alberto Zappi was born in Broglio in Switserland

At the age of 25, on 16 June 1881 in Zwolle, The Netherlands, Alberto Zoppi married 22-year-old Cornelia Vredeveld. She was born on on 1 April 1859 in Zwolle, The Netherlands. Her parents are carpenter Johannes Vredeveld an his wife Alberdiena Rientjes. At the time of her marriage, Cornelia’s mother was being nursed in an asylum for the insane in nearby Deventer.

Alberto's mother-in-law Alberdiena Rientjes was locked up in a mental institution

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.

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

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, WestBrabantsArchief.nl, Solgen.Keevel.eu.

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.

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.

Dingena

The female first name Dingena or “Digna” is related to the Latin word “dignum” with the meaning “worthy”.

The first Dingena in this line was also known as “Digna”. She was baptized on 12-4-1733 in Loon op Zand, Brabant, as daughter of Michiel Hommel and Jacomijn or Heremijn de Geus (†1777). She had a sister named Hermijna Hommel (1735-1819).
On 11-5-1756 in Loon op Zand, Dingena Hommel married Dirk van der Leij. Dirk was baptized on 17-10-1730 in Loon op Zand as son of Wouter van der Leij and Theodora de Rooij. Dingena died on 27-12-1802, and her burial in Loon op Zand was recorded on 3-1-1803.
Among Dingena's children were Dingena van der Leij and Wouter van der Leij (1756-1826). Wouter was married in 1788 to Geertruij van Diemen (1759-1804). The eldest of their 11 children was Dingena van der Leij.

Dingena van der Leij was baptized on 26-10-1788 in 's-Grevelduin-Capelle in Brabant. She was married in Loon op Zand on 4-10-1807 to Hendrik Dekkers (1784-1865), son of Adriaan Dekkers (1751-1828) and Teuntje Leempoel (1756-1830). One of their youngest children was Dingena Dekkers.

Dingena Dekkers was born on 27-11-1820 in Loon op Zand. She was married there on 28-4-1844 to Eland Nieuwenhuizen (1820-1890), son of Hendrik Nieuwenhuizen. Dingena died on 4-2-1827 in Loon op Zand. One of her children was Dingena Nieuwenhuizen.

Dingena Nieuwenhuizen was born on 15-4-1851 in Loon op Zand. She was married twice.
Dingena married her first husband Adriaan Werther on 14-10-1875 in Loon op Zand. He was born in Sprang on 23-9-1840. They had daughters named Hendrika and Dingena Pieternella. Their sons Eland and Adriaan both died young. Adriaan Werther died on 16-5-1878 in Loon op Zand.
Dingena married her second husband Pieter de Rooij (1853-1908) on 9-8-1889 in Loon op Zand. Pieter was born on 18-4-1853 in 's-Grevelduin-Capelle as eldest son of Gerrit de Rooij (1822-1882) and Pieternella Rosenbrand (1822-1887). In her second marriage Dingena had 4 children; Gerrit Pieter (1890-1959), the twins Eland and Pieter who both died as babies, and another Pieter, who died as a teenager.
Dingena van Nieuwenhuizen died on 11-8-1904 in 's-Grevelduin-Capelle, aged 53. Her widower, Pieter de Rooij, died there on 21-2-1908, aged 54.

Loon op Zand

Dingena Hommel (1733-1802) |

Wouter van der Leij (1756-1826) |

Dingena van der Leij (1788-1827) |

Dingena Dekkers (1820-1887) |

Dingena Nieuwenhuizen (1851-1904) |

Dingena Pieternella     Werther (1877-1908)

Short-lived Marriage ~ Adriaantje Heijltje Koomans (1813-42)

Adriaantje Heijltje (“Adriaantje”) Koomans was born on 29 June 1813 in Willemstad, Brabant, The Netherlands, as the eldest daughter of Nicolaas Koomans (±1753-1829) and his fourth wife Catharine ("Kaatje") Timmers (±1786-1846). ;Adriaantje's surviving full siblings were Heiltje Adriaantje (1816-1901), Maaijke (1818-1887) and Nicolaas (1822-1869). Their eldest half-sibling was Pieter Koomans (1779-1846). Another half-sibling with another mother was Jacobus Koomans (1797-1874). In 1917 he married Anna Margaretha Wonders (1797-1860). Their eldest daughter Maaike Francisca Koomans was born on 16 April 1818 in Delfshaven near Rotterdam.

At the age of 23, Adriaantje Koomans was married on 26-5-1837 in Willemstad to Auke (“Omke”) Tolk. He was born on 4 September 1802 in Jisp in Holland, as son of Jacob Tolk (1778-1835) and his wife Jannetje Bakker. Auke had - among others - a younger sibling named Jacob, born on 29 January 1817 in Medemblik, Holland. At the age of 25, Jacob was married on 29 June 1842 in Delft, Holland, to 24-year-old Maaike Francina Koomans, Adriaantje's half-niece. Jacob Tolk jr. worked as a pharmacist and lived in Amsterdam. He had a son named Jacobus Tolk (1848-1928).

Opregte Haarlemsche Courant, 17-3-1838: Birth of a daughter.

In 1840 Auke was living in Leiden and working as a grocer. Meanwhile, his wife Adriaantje gave birth to the following children:

1. Catharina Johanna Francina was born on 10 March 1838 around 11:00 in Medemblik. She was married in 1859 in Utrecht to Thomas Karel Jacobus Kraat. As a widow she was remarried in 1872 in Breda to Boudewijn Jacobus Couvee. She died on 8 May 1913 in Arnhem, aged 75. She had issue.
   
2. Johanna Hillegonda was born on 2 March 1840 in Leiden. She died on 28 July 1855 in Bergen op Zoom, Brabant, The Netherlands, aged 15.
   
3. Nicolaas Jacob was born on 29 March 1842 in Leiden. He died on 4 November 1902 in Apeldoorn, aged 60.
   

Leydse Courant, 10-6-1842: Obituary of Adriaantje Heiltje Koomans.

Two months after the birth of her youngest child, Adriaantje Heiltje Koomans died on 4 June 1842 in Leiden, aged just 28. Her widower Auke Tolk survived her by one and a half year, dying on 14 February 1844 in Leiden, aged 41. Their orphaned children were probably taken in by their maternal aunt Heiltje Adriaantje Koomans (1816-1901) who lived in Bergen op Zoom. At the time of the first marriage of the couple's eldest daughter Catharina, Nicolaas Koomans (1822-1869) was her guardian.

The family of Heiltje Adriaantje Koomans & Pieter Christian Eichholz

Heijltje Adriaantje (“Heijltje”) Koomans was born on 2 August 1816 in Willemstad, Brabant, The Netherlands, as a daughter of Nicolaas Koomans (±1753-1829) and his fourth wife Catharine ("Kaatje") Timmers (±1786-1846). She had full siblings Adriaantje Heijltje (1813-1842), Maaijke (1818-1887) and Nicolaas Koomans (1822-1869). When Heiltje was 12 years old, her father died. 

Heijltje Koomans was married on 13 January 1853 in Bergen op Zoom in Brabant to 38-year-old soldier Pieter Christian Eichholz. He was born in Bremen, Germany, as son of Margaretha Elizabeth Bohlsmann and Pieter Christian Eichholz senior, who had retired with the rank of captain and was living in 's-Hertogenbosch in Brabant.
They are the parents of

1. Peter Christian Nicolaas was born on 11 Aug. 1853 in 's-Hertogenbosch in Brabant. In 1878 in Zierikzee he married Levina Maria Bal (1854-1927). He died on 27 May 1892 in Rotterdam, aged 38. They had issue.
2. Maria Katharina Magaretha was born on 7 Dec. 1854 in Terneuzen in Zeeland. 
3. Margaretha Elisabeth was born on 28 July 1846 in Bergen op Zoom. 
4. Nicolaas Johan Willem was born on 9 Nov. 1857 in Bergen op Zoom. He died in Ermelo on 22 Apr. 1928, aged 70. 
5. Johan Arnold was born on 16 Dec. 1860 in Bergen op Zoom, and died there on 9 Mar. 1862, aged 1. 

Pieter Christian Eichholz, aged 61, died in Willemstad on 9 March 1875 around 11:00 in the morning. His youngest surviving son was 17 at the time. His widow was 58.

Their eldest daughter Maria Katharina Margaretha, aged 24, was married on 17 September 1879 in Willemstad. The groom, Dirk Johannes Middelbeek, was born in Amsterdam in the first two months of the year 1852. His parents are Catharina Johanna Wernink and Dirk Johannes Middelbeek senior who both originated in Amsterdam. 

At the age of 25, the second daughter Margaretha Elisabeth was married on 10 March 1882 in Willemstad. The groom was her brother-in-law Johan Frederik Wilhelm Sara Middelbeek. He was born in Amsterdam on 29 July 1856. 

Het nieuw van den dag, klein courant, 13-3-1882:
Margaretha Elisabeth Eicholz married Johan Frederik Wilhelm Middelbeek

William Marius Branderhorst (1898-1976) travelled to Pella

William Marius Branderhorst of Pella, Iowa, was born on 17 December 1863 in Genderen, Brabant, The Netherlands as Willem Marius, younger son of Gerrit Branderhorst (1826-1911) and his first wife Peterke van Gammeren (1823-1866). Peterke died on 30 July 1866 at the age of 43, leaving 6 young children.
Widower Gerrit Branderhorst, aged 49, was married secondly on 15 March 1876 to 23-year-old Pieternella van Wijk (1852-1924). They had at least 4 additional children.
William Marinus and his father Gerrit are male-line descendants of an earlier Gerrit Branderhorst (1680-±1749) who is also my ancestor. The area where this line of the Branderhorst lived was dotted with 3 villages: Heesbeen, Eethen and Genderen.

At the age of 24, William Marius was married on 2 August 1888 to Maria Johanna van Beek. She was born on 30 April 1869 in Genderen as daughter of Gijsbert van Beek (1827-1900) and Emmeke Bax (1835-1904. Her brother Lambert Gijsbert (1867-1941) had earlier married Hester Margaretha Branderhorst (1861-1942), a full sister of William Marius.
Soon, approximately every 1½ year Maria Johanna gave birth to a new child. One of their children, Gijsbert, had died in 1898 at the age of 6.
After the birth of their 14th child, Lambert, William Marius and his wife and 13 children left The Netherlands on the S.S. Rotterdam. William Marius was already fluent in English, and travelled second class. On board he made acquaintance of the novelist Newton Booth Tarkington (1869–1946). Their ship with its 1,243 passengers arrived in the U.S.A. in 1908.

Dagblad van Noord-Brabant (newspaper), 16-9-1908

Sisters Pieternella and Peterke van Gammeren

The sisters Pieternella and Peterke van Gammeren were living in the 19th century in an area in Brabant, The Netherlands, with the villages Eethen, Genderen and Heesbeen. Their parents are Cornelis van Gammeren (1769-1845) and his wife Johanna Vos (1791-1869) who were married on 9 December 1814. Johanna is a daughter of Peter Vos and Petronella van Steenhoven.
The couple's eldest daughter was named Catharina after her paternal grandmother. On 5 March 1821 a daughter was born that was named Pieternella after her maternal grandmother. The next daughter was born on 6 July 1823, and named Peterke after her maternal grandfather. However, names like Pieternella, Petronella, Peterke, Pietertje, Pietje and Petra are basically different forms of the same name, a female version of the biblical male name Peter.

Eethen (left), Genderen (middle) and Heesbeen (right)

The first sibling to get married was Catharina van Gammeren (1819-1888) who was married on 27 May 1841. The groom was Gerrit Branderhorst, son of Dirk Branderhorst (1786-1864) and Aletta Antonetta Verdoorn (1786-1885), and a male-line descendant of my ancestor Gerrit Branderhorst (1680-±1749).
Catharina and Gerrit were to have several children, including Cornelis, Johanna, Aletta Antonetta and  Arie Lambert.

Pieternella van Gammeren, the second sibling, was married on 31 March 1843 to Jan Dirk van den Heuvel. He was born on 19 March 1817 in Genderen. His parents are Aletta Branderhorst (1793-1848) and her first husband Cornelis van de Heuvel. Aletta is also a descendant of my ancestor Gerrit Branderhorst.
Pieternella and Jan Dirk were to have 11 children, including Aletta Johanna, Johanna Cornelia, Cornelis, Cornelia Pieternella, Pietertje, Labina, Labinus and Jansje van den Heuvel (1859-1945).

Peterke van Gammeren, the third sibling, was married on 14 February 1845 to Hermen van der Beek. He was born in Waalwijk on 23 December 1816 as son on merchant Cornelis van der Beek and his wife Antonia Branderhorst (1790-1818). Hermen van der Beek died on 1 March 1855, aged 38. His widow was 31 years old, and childless.
Peterke was remarried on 27 March 1856 to 29-year-old Gerrit Branderhorst. He was born on 26 October 1826 as son of Johannis Branderhorst (1789-1865) and Hester Millenaar. Peterke's second father-in-law was a brother of her first mother-in-law. Those siblings Johannis and Antonia Branderhorst are also descendants of my ancestor Gerrit Branderhorst.
Peterke and Gerrit are the parents of Johanna Hester, Johannis Cornelis, Cornelis Johannis, Hester Margaretha, Willem Marius and Petertje Gerritje Branderhorst.

The sad short life of Ludovicus Willemsen (1860-1884)

Ludovicus Willemsen was born on 4 October 1860 in Woensdrecht as son of workman Mathijs Willemsen (27) and his wife Maria Catharina Speek. They both originated in Woensdrecht and were married there on 22 Decermber 1858. Matthijs Willemse died on 24 April 1861 in Woensdrecht, aged just 28.
His mother, Maria Catharina Speek, married secondly in Woensdrecht on 25 November 1863 to another local man, Laurentius de Vreng. After giving birth to a son Petrus de Vreng on 7 September 1864 in Woensdrecht, Maria Catharina died there on the 9th, aged 30. Her baby died on the 19th. On 24 December of the same year her widower was remarried to a Belgian girl.
At the age of 3, Ludovicus Willemsen was an orphan, and the only surviving child of both his parents. 

De Grondwet (newspaper), 8-4-1894

In the summer of 1884 Ludovicus Willemsen and a colleague were working on the railroad from Dordrecht in Holland to Breda in Brabant. On Saturday 5 July 1884 they were bathing just south of Dubbeldam, close to a culvert surrounded by deep water. The other man managed to get out, but Ludovicus (24) drowned.

Sources: Delpher.nl, WieWasWie.nl.

Magdalena Lauf (±1803-1881) in Limburg, The Netherlands

Johan Adolf (“Johannes”) Laufs/Lauff and his wife Anna Elisabeth Hanser/Hanssen/Hensen originated in Germany. Anna Elisabeth Henssen, aged 66, wife of Jan Adolf  “Loef”, died on November 3, 1828, in Melick near Herckenbosch in Limburg. Her parents were Frans Hansen and Maria Gertrudis.
Johannes Lauf and Anna Elisabeth Hansen are the parents of

• Likely Theresia Lauf who was born in Nieuwenhagen around 1794. She married Willem Swachöfer (±1802-1875), another German, and had children named Bastiaan and Catharina. Theresia Lauf died in Venray, Limburg, The Netherlands, on April 5, 1874, aged 67.
• Johan Lauf was baptised on June 20, 1805, in Paderborn, Germany. He married Anna Maria Hülskens and had issue. Johan died, aged 87, on November 11, 1891, in Venray, Limburg.
• Thobias Lauf was born around 1797 in Wesel, Germany. He died in Nederweert, Limburg, The Netherlands, on January 30, 1826.
• Magdalena Lauf(f) was born around 1803 in Nieuwenhagen and married Jacob Swakhoven (see below).
• Julienne Lauf was born around 1810 in Krefeld, Germany. She was married in 1842 in Delft to Werner Stranz, born around 1789 in Allrath, Germany. His parents are Peter Stranz and Margaretha Wehres. Julienne Lauf died on Janaury 20, 1886, in Rotterdam, aged 73. Her daughter Maria Theresia Stranz was to reach the age of 90. 

Jacob Swakhoven (possibly Swachöfer) was born on September 25, 1805, and originated in Germany, too; his place of birth is described as “Harteveld”. Jacob Swakhoven’s occupation was scissors sharpener. Jacob married Magdalena Lauf, daughter of Johan Adolf Lauf and Anna Elisabeth Hansen. Among their children are Johannes Tobias (born in 1825), Geertrui, Theresia Maria (born in 1826) and Gerard (born in 1844). 
Their daughter Geertrui Swakhoven was born on April 29, 1831, in Horst, Limburg. Geertrui married Petrus Maassen on June 10, 1850, in Venray. Petrus was born on July 5, 1828, in Berlicum, Brabant, The Netherlands, and he was living in Schaijk, Brabant. His parents are Pieter Maassen and Petronella van Hynsbergen.
Geertrui Swakhoven and Petrus Maassen are the parents of Theodoor Maassen (1852-1908) who is an ancestor of Theo Maassen, a Dutch comedian and actor.

Death of Magdalena Lauf

Jacob Swakhoven died on March 21, 1872, in Venray. His widow, Magdalena Lauf, died on February 3, 1881, in Venray, aged 77. Petrus Maassen died on June 25, 1883, in Blerick, close to Venlo. His widow, Geertrui Swakhoven, died that same year on December 29 in Venlo, aged 52.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, RooyNet.nl, CBG.nl. See also: GenealogieOnline.nl.
 

Same Name - Adriaen Wouters Visscher

My 17th-century ancestor Wouter Jacopssen Visscher had 2 sons named Adriaen. They were distinguished by the nicknames “de Ouden” (the Old one) and “de Jonge” (the Young one).

Adriaen Wouters “de Ouden” Visscher was probably born between 1625 and 1630 in Raamsdonk, Brabant, The Netherlands. He was known as Ariaen “de Ouden”. He is likely a son of Wouter’s second marriage with a woman named Lijsken Ariens.
Ariaen “de Ouden” was married on 25 February 1655 in ‘s-Grevelduin-Capelle, Brabant, to Cornelia (“Neeltjen”) van Tilborgh. Neeltjen was baptized on 22 January 1634 in ‘s-Grevelduin-Capelle with witness Japickgen Jacobs. Her parents are my triple ancestors Adriaen Woutersz (†1678) and his wife Toniske Seeu (±1605-1680). Ariaen and Neletjen had 7 children, all girls: Lijsken, Teuntje, Dingentke, Marie, Anneke and Wouterke (twice). The oldest two girls were named after their grandmothers.
Ariaen likely died between August 1678 and May 1684. Cornelia’s death was recorded on 5 September 1704 in Vrijhoeve-Capelle.

Adriaen Wouters “de Jonge” Visscher was baptized on 29 May 1635 in ‘s-Grevelduin-Capelle. He was later known as Adriaen or Arien “de Jonge”. He is a son of his father’s third marriage to Anneken, a daughter of Tielman Jacops and Adriaentken Oerlemans. Anneken was widow of Adriaen Dircks “den Ouden” van Clootwijck and had a daughter Adriaentken van Clootwijck. Anneke’s first husband had a brother with the same name, too, and they both had the same parents, while their grandfathers were both named Adriaen.
Arien “de Jonge” was married on 26 December 1667 in ‘s-Grevelduin-Capelle to Anneke Adriaense van Tilborgh, an elder sister of Neeltjen. Anneke was baptized on 11 January 1632 in ‘s-Grevelduin-Capelle with the same witness as Neeltjen. Anneken was already 35 year old at the time of her marriage, and she had no known children. After Arien’s death, recorded on 23 September 1681 in ‘s-Grevelduin-Capelle, Anneken took a second husband, Jost Smits, in 1684. Anneke’s death is recorded in Vrijhoeve-Capelle on 7 April 1699.

Sources: Streekarchief Langstraat Heusden Altena, "Genealogisch Tijdschrift voor Midden- en West- Noord- Brabant en de Bommelerwaard" 1997, "Sprang-Capelle huwelijken 1610-1811" (A.C.M. Gouverneur).