Jacob Grandia (1822-68), an orphan in Pella

Pella in Marion County in Iowa was founded in 1847 when some 800 Dutch immigrants - led by minister Hendrik Pieter (“Henry”) Scholte - settled the area. Among them was 24-year old Jacob Grandia. He boarded the ship “Nagasaki” that departed from Rotterdam on 11 April 1847 with 239 passengers on board. Two persons died at sea, and one person was born at sea. Subsequently, on the trip to Iowa, even more people died.

Jacob Grandia was travelling alone, because his siblings had died young, and both his parents had died, too. Jacob was born on 1 September 1822 in 's-Gravendeel, Holland. His parents are Jillis Grandia (1794-1826) and Maria van Bezooijen (1792-1843), daughter of Jacob van Bezooijen (1736-1803) and his wife Geertruij Koomans.
On his father's side Jacob is a descendant of my ancestor Sebastiaen Geraerts Grandia who lived in Brakel in The Netherlands. The family name Grandia most likely originated in Spain. The first Grandia likely arrived in the Low Countries as a soldier in the Spanish army during the Dutch Eighty Years' War with Spain.

Pella, Iowa

On 19 February 1850 in Pella, Jacob married Marie Colyn, daughter of Leendert Colyn. They were blessed with 12 children, and 9 of them survived infancy. Their names are Jillis, Anthonie, Leendert (1853-1917), John, Jacob jr. (1857-1829), Abraham, Maria, Trijntje and Elizabeth (1868-1934).
Jacob was farming on the border of Lake Praire Township, Marion County, and Black Oak Township, in Mahaska County, both in Iowa.
Jacob died at the age of 45 on 19 May 1868, and was buried at “Porter Grove Cemetery” in Harvey, Marion County. His widow Marie survived him for 41 years, and remarried. Her second husband may have been Aart van Zante Sr. (1815-1894), widower of Maria van Zee (1819-1879). Marie died on 21 May 1909. Her birth had been on 29 December 1827 in Heukelum in The Netherlands.
In 1883 Jacob jr. send a letter to a Dutch cousin, mentioning his surviving siblings, and the remarriage of his mother.

Grave of Jacob Grandia jr.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, FindAGrave.com, Dutch Immigrants that followed Scholte, WeRelate.org, Pella Community Memory Database, IAGenWeb.org. Further reading: Grandia Family History, Geni.com.

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.

Intermarriage in the Goossens family

Martinus Goossens and his German wife Anna Catharina Görts (also: Geurts) ^* had 8 children, but 3 of them died young. Anna Catharina was born around 1749 in Dülcken in Germany. Her parents are Johan Antoon Görtz and Helena Syben. Martinus was baptized on 23 February 1750 in Venlo in The Netherlands. His parents are Antoon Goossens and Maria van Daelen (1717-1785). Martinus Goossens died on 30 October 1819 in Venlo, aged 69.

De Borman
family coat of arms

On 9 September 1819 in Bree in Belgium his son Petrus Jacobus had married Maria Anna Alexandrina de Borman. Petrus Jacobus was baptized on 12 November 1790 in Venlo. Maria Anna was baptized on 24 December 1793 in Maastricht. Her parents are Jacobus Frederic Franciscus de Borman and his wife Maria Margaretha. Jacob Frederic was either born on baptized on 27 August 1761 in Maaseik in Belgium. His parents are François-Adrien de Borman (1732-1785) and Maria Jacqueline Angeline Coomans (1729-1816).

Maria Anna’s elder sister Maria Elisabeth Francisca de Borman was born or baptized on 27 February 1792 in Mheer in The Netherlands. She was married in 1822 in Bree. Maria Elisabeth’s groom was the youngest brother of Petrus Jacobus, Matthijs Ferdinand Goossens. He was baptized on 21 October 1791 in Venlo.

Petrus Jacobus Goossens and Maria Anna de Borman had 6 children, born in the period 1825-1837, and additionally they had some grandchildren. Matthijs Ferdinand Goossens and Elisabeth de Borman had 8 children, born in the period 1823-1838. Amongst them is August Theodoor Hubert Goossens (1838-1911) who is an ancestor – in the female line - of the Beltman family in Amersfoort.

Anna Catharina Görts, widow of Martinus Goossens, died on 13 February 1834 in Venlo. Elisabeth de Borman died at the age of 74 on 5 December 1866 in Venlo. Her widower, Matthijs Ferdinand Goossens, died on 28 December 1869 in Venlo, aged 78. Petrus Jacobus Goossens died on 30-3-1876 in Bree, aged 85. His widow, Maria Anna de Borman, died in Bree on 21 May 1877, aged 83.

De Tijd, 2-12-1869

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.

Uiltje de Jong (1867-1950)

In some parts of The Netherlands some strange names were given to children. The main character of this story, for example, is Uiltje de Jong. His given name can be translated as “little owl”. He was born on 5 May 1867. His parents, Jan de Jong and Elizabeth Jansma (1835-) were living in Oudehorne, east of Heerenveen in Frisia. His grandparents are Jan de Jong, Annigjen Visser, Jan Jansma and Janke Westerterp. Janke’s father was named Uiltje, too. On 29 June 1888 in Schoterland Janke Westerterp died at the age of 90.

At the age of 39, Uiltje de Jong was married to 26-year-old Doetje Zuidersma on 24 May 1906 in Schoterland in Frisia. She was born on 4 October 1879 in Aengwirden, north of Heerenveen. Her parents are Meint Zuidersma and Antje de Jong. Amongst Doetje’s many siblings were clergyman Klaas Zuidersma (1875-1955) and carpenter Gijsbert Zuidersma (1882-1933).

Uiltje and Doetje had the following children:

1. Elisabeth was born on 7 May 1908 in Schoterland;
2. Meint was born on 1 August 1909 in Schoterland;
3. Jan.

Nieuwsblad van Friesland, Hepkema's courant, 18-7-1919

At the age of 39, Doetje Zuidersma died in July 1919 in Duurswoude, southeast of Drachten in Frisia. Her widower, Uiltje de Jong, emigrated to Canada with his sons. His daughter Eliabeth had married Hugo Koomans and was living in Hoogeveen in Drenthe in The Netherlands, and had at least two sons.
Uiltje de Jong died, aged 87, on March 12, 1954, in Sterling, Ontario, Canada, and was buried there on the 15th.

Provinciale Drentsche en Asser courant, 24-3-1954

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, GeneoFun.on.ca, Cemetery.CanadaGenWeb.org.

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

Soldier Arie Koomans (1789-1812)

Pieter Koomans (1750-1802) of Strijen, Holland, had eight children with his first wive, Jannigje Bezemer (±1760-1798), but just two them - Arie and Jannigje - seem to have survived to adulthood. 

Strijen

Pieter's eldest surviving son, Arie Koomans, was born on April 2, 1789, and baptised in Strijen on the 5th. His next children, daughters Jannigje and Maria, were born subsequently in 1790 and 1792. Three little sons named Andreas all died young. Pieter's first wife, Jannigje Bezemer, died in May 1798. With his second wife, Adriana Moerkerken (1773-1850), Pieter had had one son named Andreas. After just 2 years of marriage with his second wife, Pieter Koomans died in May 1802, leaving his son Arie an orphan at age 13. Arie's stepmother was remarried in 1803 to Bernardus Bremken (1762-1808) and next in 1810 to Pieter Berrevoets (1775-1861).

In early 1795, intervention by French revolutionary forces had led to the downfall of the old Dutch Republic. The Dutch departments were incorporated in the French Empire by decree on 9 July, 1810. In the summer of 1812, before the invasion of Russia, Napoleon assembled new troops from all over Western Europe for his Grande Armée.
Arie Koomans was send to France, and incorporated into the 9th artillery regiment¹. The artillery was the part of Napoleon's army that fired its cannons. Arie was taken to a hospital on October 12, 1812. He died on October 28 in Douai, France, aged 23. His death was registered in Strijen on April 9, 1813.

Arie's surviving sister Jannigje was married, had several children, and died in 1831 in Hardinxveld. Their half-brother Andreas (1800-1842) married, moved to Delft, Holland, and had descendants, too. Step-brother Hendrik Bremken (1803-1865) and step-sister Cornelia Bervoets (1818-1906) were both married, too.

Note 1: Arie's army number was 2728.

Sources: Archieven.nl, WieWasWie.nl.

Short-lived Marriage ~ Pieter Koomans & Adriana Moerkerken

Pieter Koomans was baptized on October 25, 1750, in Strijen, Holland, as eldest child of Andreas Koomans (1722-1807) and his wife Jannigje Bestebreurtje (1725-1789). After the births of his siblings Gerrit and Geertruij his mother additionally gave birth to twins twice.

Pieter married his first wife, Jannigje Bezemer, on September 4, 1785, in Strijen. Her parents were Arij Bezemer (†1806) and Annigje Havelaar (†1803). Pieter Koomans and his first wife had 8 children. Most of their children died young. Their son Arij Koomans, born on April 2, 1789, in Strijen, was enlisted as a soldier in the 9th artillery regiment of Napoleon's army. Arij died on October 28, 1812, in Douai, France. The only one of their children to marry was their daughter Jannigje Koomans (1790-1831). Jannigje Bezemer's death was registered on May 25, 1798, in Strijen.

Pieter Koomans married his second wife, Adriana Moerkerken, on January 12, 1800, in Strijen. Their only child, a son Andreas Koomans, was born on November 18, 1800, in Strijen. Pieter Koomans died on May 12, 1802, in Strijen, at the age of 51. On the 17th his brother Johannes Koomans (1762-1827) paid ƒ15,- for Pieter's burial. After a marriage of just 16 months Adriana Moerkerken was a widow.

Als weduwnaar is Pieter Koomans op 26-12-1799 in Strijen hertrouwd met Adriana Moerkerken.

Pieter Koomans drowned in 1864

Skipper Johannes Josephes Killian was living in Rotterdam and working as a skipper at a Dutch Ship named "Koning Willem III". He made a declaration that on September 3, 1864, around 23:00, he was sailing at sea at 52° north latitude and 3° east longitude, when purser Pieter Koomans, aged 24, fell overboard and drowned. He drowned in the North Sea.

Nieuwe Rotterdamsche Courant, 10-9-1863

Pieter Koomans was born on September 9, 1839, around 03:00 in Delft, as a younger son of Jacobus Koomans (1797-1874) and Anna Margaretha Wonders (1797-1860). His grandfather was Nicolaas Koomans (±1752-1829).
Pieter Koomans had two elder brothers: Hendrik Anthoon Koomans (1827-1861), who died childless, aged 33, and schoolteacher Nicolaas Koomans (1882-1910) who was married and had children, including professor Nicolaas Koomans (1879-1845).

Sources: Delft Archive, West-Brabant Archive, Delpher Newspapers, Huygens Knaw Resources. 

Married for 4 days: Adriana Petronella Koomans

On July 26, 1866, in Abcoude-Baambrugge in Holland, Adriana Petronella Koomans was married to Cornelis Wouter Hoogendijk. She was born on November 24, 1842, in the township of Fijnaart and Heijningen in Brabant, The Netherlands. Her parents were dr. Willem Koomans (1818-1917) and his first wife, Aagje Fontijn. Spouse Cornelis Wouter Hoogendijk was born on October 22, 1840, around 22:00 in Zwammerdam in Holland. His parents were Adrianus Hoogendijk and Neeltje Anna van Rossen.

Opregte Haarlemsche Courant (newspaper), 27-7-1866

Just 4 after their marriage, on July 30, 1866, Cornelis Wouter Hoogendijk died around 02:00 in house number 49 at the market of Zuphen, Gelre, The Netherlands.

Opregte Haarlemsche Courant (newspaper), 7-8-1866

Nicolaas Koomans (1753-1829) had 4 wives

When researching the Koomans family I noticed a man named Nicolaas Koomans (1653-1829) who married 4 times, while 3 of his 4 wives had the surname Maris.

Nicolaas Koomans was baptized on February 4, 1752, in the township of Fijnaart and Heijningen in Brabant, The Netherlands. His parents were Pieter Koomans (1712-1770) and Ariaantje Burgers (1726-1777). After his father's death, his mother had married Pieter de Leeuw in 1772. She died 5 years later on November 21, 1777. Ariaantje Burgers was buried in Fijnaart on the 27th.

Nicolaas Koomans married his 1st wife, Francina Maris, on May 3, 1778, in Fijnaart and Heijningen. Francina was baptized on July 1, 1753. Her parents are Jan Maris and Adriana Biert. Francina gave birth to 3 sons: Pieter and Jan (2x). Francina Maris, aged 30, was buried on September 12, 1783.

Nicolaas Koomans married Maaijke Maris on 4-11-1787

Nicolaas Koomans married his 2nd wife and first cousin, Maaijke Maris, on November 4, 1787, in Fijnaart and Heijningen. Maaijke was baptized on August 11, 1765. Her parents are Jacobus Maris and Tanneke Burgers (1734-1783), who is a younger sister of Nicolaas'  mother Ariaantje. Maaijke gave birth to 10 children: Jacobus (3x), Huibert, Ariaantje (2x), Tanneke, Gijsbert and Cornelis (2x). Maaijke Maris, aged 37, was buried on September 11, 1802.

Pieter Koomans (1712-1770) married a teenager

On April 8, 1741, in Willemstad, Brabant, The Netherlands, Pieter Koomans (1712-70) was married to Ariaantje Pieters Burgers. They had 10 children baptized in nearby Fijnaart between 1740 and 1765. Among the witnesses at their children's baptisms were Tanneke and Francoisia, Ariaantje's sisters. Their parents were Pieter Burgers and Maijke Rollof, who were married on June 10, 1725, in Willemstad. That couple had their eldest daughter, Ariaantje, baptized on May 27, 1726, in Willemstad. So, at the day of her wedding Ariaantje was likely 14 years old. Even if she had been baptized more 7 weeks after her birth - that would have been an unusual long delay - Ariaantje would still have been only 15 years old at the time of her marrige. Ariaantje Burgers definitely was a teenager when she married.

At the time of their marriage Pieter Koomans was 28 years old. He was baptized on November 13, 1712, in Willemstad as the eldest son of Huijbrecht Koomans and his second wife, Elsje van den Berg. As usual Pieter Koomans and Ariaantje Burgers named their eldest surviving children after their parents: Elsje, Maaijke, Huijbert and Pieter. 

Pieter Koomans was buried on May 29, 1770, at the age of 57, leaving Ariaantje Burgers a widow at the age of 44. On May 3, 1777, in Fijnaart, Ariaantje was married to Pieter de Leeuw who was living near Fijnaart, and had not been married before. They were married for 5½ years. Ariaantje Burgers was buried on November 27, 1777, in Fijnaart, at the age of 51. 

One of Pieter's younger sons, Nicolaas Koomans (1753-1829) , was married four times, and the first three of his four wives had the surname Maris. Pieter's daughter Maaijke Koomans (1748-1822) was married to Huijbert Maris. 

As a widow Ariaantje Burgers married Pieter de Leeuw in 1772.

Source: WestBrabantsArchief.nl.

Longevity ~ Willem Koomans reached the age of 99

Willem Koomans was born on May 8, 1818, in Rotterdam, Holland. His father was Huibert Koomans (1789-1856), who was a son of Nicolaas Koomans and the second of Nicolaas' four wives, Maaijke Maris (1765-1802). Willem's mother, Adriana Petronella Spanjaart (1784-1875), was to reach the age of 91.

After his graduation in Rotterdam, Willem Koomans worked as a doctor in Fijnaart, Brabant, The Netherlands. Next he moved to Leiderdorp, then to Abcoude, both in Holland. He stopped exercising his profession at the age of 71.
Willem Koomans married twice. His first wife was Aagje Fontijn (†1849) who originated in Mijdrecht. They had a daughter Adriana Petronella who traveled to Indonesia.
Willem's second wife was Alida Jannetta Vermeer from Amsterdam whom he married in 1851. They had additional children before she died in Abcoude in the Spring of 1890. 

In May 1916 Willem Koomans (98) had been a physician for 75 years. By then he was known as "De Oude Koomans" ("The Old Koomans"). Willem Koomans died on August 10, 1917, in Abcoude-Baambrugge, aged 99 years and 3 months.

De Grondwet, 5-12-1916

Algemeen Handelsblad, 11-8-1917

For more information on this Koomans family see genealogical magazine "De Nederlandse Leeuw", 1936.
Sources: Delpher Newspapers, WestBrabantsArchief.nl, WieWasWie.nl.

Madness Monday - Elisabeth Maria Comans was locked up in 1785

Markus Harting (1715-93), husband of Maria Godefrida Comans*, had his sister-in-law, the widowed Elisabeth Maria Bogaart-Comans, locked up for 6 years in the 2nd class of the lunatic asylum in Dordrecht, South Holland.
Markus Harting paid ƒ130 for her upkeep, an additional ƒ10 for bed linen, and agreed to pay additional bills. Elisabeth Maria was taken in on November 10, 1785. She was finally able to leave the asylum on November 4, 1791.

On September 17, 1732, in the St. Lambertus Church in Wouw, Brabant, The Netherlands, Govert Quintijn Comans was married to Willemina Pieternella Kien. Govert Quintijn was born in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, and he was a soldier. Elisabeth Maria Comans was the couple's eldest child; she was born on March 29, 1733, in Bergen op Zoom. She was married to Johannes Bogaart on June 28, 1755, in Leiden, Holland.

* Markus Harting and his wife were parents of Amarentia Wilhelmina Harting (1756-1801). This "Ammetje" Harting was married on 18-7-1779 in The Hague to Jan Pieter (1751-1836), Count of Suchtelen, and a militair engineer:

Sources: "Register van geconfineerden in het Stads Krankzinnig en Beterhuis binnen Dordregt voor wie kostgeld wordt betaald 1761-1804 door E. van Dooremalen", www.dordrechtmonumenteel.nl/, http://resources.huygens.knaw.nl/, De Navorscher, 1891.

20th Century Dutch migrants to Canada

The first Dutch people to travel to Canada were Dutch Americans. The largest migration wave was in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when large numbers of Dutch helped settle the Canadian west. During this period significant numbers also settled in major cities like Toronto.

While interrupted by World War I, this migration returned in the 1920s, but again halted during the Great Depression and World War II. After that war, with a devastated Dutch economy, a large number of Dutch immigrants moved to Canada, including a number of war brides of the Canadian soldiers who liberated the Low Countries. One of my uncles moved to Canada after the flood of 1952 had destroyed his home. A majority of these newcomers settled in Ontario, including one of my aunts and her husband.

By 1958, emigration from the Netherlands declined significantly as the country’s economy began to recover, due in part to international assistance. There are now over 1 million Canadians of Dutch descent, including those of full or partial ancestry. While one of the largest minority groups in Canada, Dutch Canadians have tended to rapidly assimilate.

Emigrants to Canada wait until they can board the SS "Volendam". 

Rotterdam, Netherlands, May 15, 1951.

Links: 

• Canadians of Dutch descent  
• Ottawa County Cemeteries
• Canada Immigration Records
• Postwar Dutch Immigration through Pier 21
• Digital Resources of The Netherlands - Passenger Lists (link top left)
• Passengers of the Holland-America Line