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.

Johannes George Vrolijk (1920-43) in WWII

Johannes George Vrolijk
(1920-1943)

Johannes George Vrolijk was executed in the Tegel area of Berlin, Germany, on 4 June 1943, aged 23. He had been part of a World War II resistance group known as the "Strijkelgroep". In the spring of 1941, 47 men and women of this group were arrested by the Nazi's. Johannes George Vrolijk was one of the 32 people executed on 4 June 1943. The others were send to prison camps. Just 3 women and 1 man of the group survived the horrors of the German concentration camps.

Johannes George Vrolijk was born on 30 April 1920 in Zwijndrecht, Holland, as eldest son of Johannes George Vrolijk (1888-1983) and his wife Baartje den Hoed. His paternal grandparents were Johannes George Vrolijk (1862-1949) and Neeltje Bos (1860-1936). Neeltje is a granddaughter of my ancestor Cent Leenderts Bos (±1787-1869). In the paternal line Johannes George Vrolijk descends from a Jakob Fröhlich of German origin.

Sources: OorlogsGravenStichting.nl, WieWasWie.nl, Stijkelgroep.nl.

Barend Booi (21) died in 1947 in Indonesia

Following World War II, the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) launched a military campaign in 1947 to try to re-establish Dutch control of Indonesia. The infantry regiment 4-11 departed on 5 February 1947 on the "Johan van Oldebarneveldt" for Indonesia, where it arrived on 5 March 1947. The regiment consisted of young boys recruited for obligatory military service, among them was Barend Booi. 
While fighting 4 kilometers west of Mangoenreja, Indonesia, Barend Booi died on 22 November 1947, aged 21. The death of Barent Booi was registered on 12 April 1948 in Dubbeldam, Holland. The Dutch military efforts to re-establish their colony failed, and The Netherlands recognized Indonesian independence on 27 December 1949. 

Source: oorlogsgravenstichting.nl

In Dubbeldam Barend Booi was born on 25 February 1926. His parents are Abraham Booi and Wilhelmina Maria van der Burg. They had been married on 28 November 1918 in Dordrecht, Holland. Wilhelmina Maria van der Burg had been 23 years old, and was born in The Hague. Her parents are Johannes Franciscus van der Burg en Maria Adriana Philip.
Barent's paternal grandmother, Barendina Boertje, was born on 15-7-1858 in Wieldrecht, Holland, and was buried in Dubbeldam on 5 September 1942, 84 years old. She had been married on 9 May 1877 in Dubbeldam to Abraham Booij sr. He was born on 17 September 1854 in Dubbeldam and died there on 16 November 1934.
Barent's paternal great-grandparents were Joris Booi (1827-1906) and his first wife Marigje Naaktgeboren (1831-1864). Joris is a son of Nicolaas “Claas” Booij (1787-1847) and Johanna Piere (1796-1854). Claas is a son of my ancestors Joris Booij (1753-1813) of Dubbeldam and his wife Hendrina Sprong (1759-1832).

Signatures of Barent's parents

Sources: wiewaswie.nl, regionaalarchiefdordrecht.nl, oorlogsgravenstichting.nl, www.indie-1945-1950.nl, 4en5mei.nl, vomi-nederland.nl/monumenten, lijstvangevallenen.nl.

Henri Gerrit Booij (1907-1944) from Rotterdam was buried in Changkai

Henri Gerrit Booij was born on 2 July 1907 in Rotterdam. His parents are Hendrik Booij and Jannetje de Wilde. His paternal grandparents are Gerrit Booij (1837-1882) and Bregtje de Waal. His paternal great-grandparents are Jacob Booij (1785-1866) and his third wife Niesje Beets (1810-1882) who were living in Ilpendam, Holland. The paternal great-great-grandparents of Henri Gerrit are Gerrit Jacobsz. Booij (1757-1828), Eegje Jans Dekker (1763-1820), Sijmon Jansz. Beets (±1767-1817) and Krelisje Bos (1776-1848).

When Henri Gerrit Booij was 21 years old, his father Henri Booij died on 1 June 1929, aged 52, in Hillegersberg (now part of Rotterdam). He had been born on 30 May 1877 in Buiksloot, Holland, and had been working as a waiter. Henri's widow, Jannetje de Wilde, was born on 19 March 1873 in Amsterfoort, Utrecht area, The Netherlands. They had been married on 7 March 1901 in Amsterdam. An overview of their younger children and birth dates is shown in the image below. 

Henri Gerrits Booij with his parents and younger siblings

At the age of 31, Henri Gerrit Booij was married on 23 November 1938 in Rotterdam to Helena Johanna Maria Verbakel, aged 29, born in Rotterdam. She was born on 7 March 1909 in Rotterdam as the eldest daughter of Wilhelmus Jacobus Verbakel (1879-1964) and Johanna Gerarda Visser. At some point the couple traveled to Indonesia.

POW Camp Card for Henri Gerrit Booij

In Indonesia Henri Gerrit Booij was working as a hotel clerk, probably in Nongkodjadjar on Java. He was described an infantry sergeant for the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL) when he was captured by the Japanese on Java on 10 March 1942. He was transferred to the main Java Prisoner Of War (POW) Camp on 1 November 1942, and interned. He was transferred to the Thai No. 4 Branch Camp 7855 on 29 January 1943. Often, prisoners in the Thai POW Camps were forced by the Japanese to work on the Burma Railway between Nong Pladuk in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma (now Myanmar). Henri Gerrit Booij died in the No. 4 Branch Camp on 11 February 1944. He was buried in Chungkai.

Longevity: Josina de Bondt (93) in Zwijndrecht

When Josina de Bondt died - during World War II - on November 17, 1943, in Zwijndrecht, Holland, she was 93 years and 4 months old. Josina was born in Zwijndrecht on July 5, 1850, as the 3rd of 8 children of blond, blue-eyed Anthonie (“Thomas”) de Bondt (1822-1891) and his wife Pietertje den Hollander (1823-1915). On May 15, 1852, Josina's next sibling was born and named Joost - like his paternal grandfather.

On October 3, 1872, in Zwijndrecht, Josina was married to Cornelis van Wingerden. Both her parents were present at the ceremony and gave their permission for the marriage. The bride and groom were so poor that they were unable to pay the municipal wedding expenses. Cornelis was born on August 11, 1841, in Zwijndrecht as the eldest son of Klaas van Wingerden (1813-1855) and Jaapje van Wensveen. Cornelis had been exempted from military service. He worked as a workman and gardener.

On February 21, 1873, in Zwijndrecht - 4½ months after her wedding - Josina gave birth to her eldest child, but the boy lived for just 1 month. Josina's next child, a son named Jacob, was born in Zwijndrecht on August 20, 1876. The next moth, on September 7 in Zwijndrecht Josina's brother Joost de Bondt was married to Cornelis' sister Anna van Wingerden (1855-1926). Cornelis was one of the witnesses at this wedding.

Cornelis van Wingerden and Josina de Bondt were to have 7 more children during the period 1878-1892. Cornelis was assisting his brother-in-law Joost de Bondt on May 21, 1892, in Zwijndrecht, when Joost reported the birth of triplets Cornelis, Arie and Corstiaan on the 20th. Sadly, within 3 days all 3 new-born children had died. Besides the triplets and a stillbirth, Joost de Bondt and Anna van Wingerden had 6 additional children. The children Anthonie, Jaapje, Pietertje, Wiekert Gijsbert and Nicolaas Cornelis would reach the age of majority and marry.

Jacob, the oldest surviving child of Cornelis van Wingerden and Josina de Bondt, was the first to marry in 1904. By 1919 their other children Anthonia, Klaas, Adriana Cornelia, Cornelis, Josina and Maaike were all married, too.
Cornelis van Wingerden died in Zwijndrecht on April 23, 1911. His widow, Josina de Bondt, survived him for 23½ years. Josina may have inherited her strong genes from her mother, Pietertje den Hollander, who had died in Zwijndrecht on February 6, 1915, aged 91 years and 8 months.

A mill in Zwijndrecht with a view at the city of Dordrecht.

One of the common ancestors of Josina and me is whaler Thomas Brullee. Another common ancestor is Joost Cornelisse de Bondt (±1680-1753). 

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, FamilySearch.org, RegionaalArchiefDordrecht.nl.

Kundertje Dijksman: teenage pregnancy & divorce in Delft, Holland

Friedrich Wilhelm Austmann was born in Soest in Germany. In The Netherlands he met Dirkje van Meel (1791-1873) and they were married in Zegwaard, Holland, on August 30, 1822. One of their children was Wilhelmina Frederika Austmann (1826-1908). On March 30, 1853, in Delft, Holland, she was married to Arij Dijksman (1829-1870) who belongs to a Dijksman family that originates in Hillegersberg, now part of Rotterdam, Holland.
Arij Dijksman and his wife had several sons who died in infancy, but their 3 daughters did survive. This post is about their third daughter, Kundertje Dijksman, who was born in Delft on March 8, 1866, around 23:00. Kundertje was aged 4 when her father died.

Delftsche Courant, March 18, 1883

One week after her 17th birthday Kundertje Dijksman - likely visibly pregnant - was engaged to be married to 19-year-old bargeman's mate Hendrik Martinus Cornelis de Raad. He was born in Delft on February 2, 1864, as the eldest son of Adriana Johanna Muller and her husband Evert de Raad (1834-1877). He had lost his father at the age of 13.

Kundertje's marriage took place on March 28, 1883, in Delft. Within two months her eldest daughter, Hendrica Martina Cornelia de Raad, was born on May 17 in Delft. Another daughter, Wilhelmina Frederika, was born there on January 21, 1885. By then Kundertje's marriage was probably already failing, for no more children were born. The marriage was dissolved by a court in The Hague on June 30, 1891. Kundertje was 25 years old and already divorced.

Delftsche Courant, October 16, 1891

Hendrik Martinus Cornelis de Raad was subsequently married to and divorced from Alberdina Akkerman, born in Groningen. In 1899 in The Hague he married his third and final wife, Pieternella de Winden. With her he had at least 7 more children. 

Leendert Arend Jan Bos (1918-43) and the Burma Railway

Leendert Arend Jan Bos was born on October 21, 1918, in Klaaswaal in Holland. Klaaswaal is located in the area where my Bos ancestors have lived through the ages, but Bos is a common name in The Netherlands, and I have no clue who his parents were. Leendert could be either a distant relative, or no relation at all. His mother's surname was Dirkje and she lived at the Oud Kromstrijensedijk in Klaaswaal.

Japanese internment card 

During the war, when he was in his 20s, Leendert was an airplane mechanic in the Royal Netherlands East Indies Army (KNIL). On March 9, 1942, Leendert was captured by the Japanese. He was interned in a Java Pow Camp on August 15, 1942. In 1943 Leendert was forced to work on the Burma Railway. Begun in October 1942 and completed on 16 October 1943, the Burma Railway stretched 415 kilometres between Nong Pladuk in Thailand and Thanbyuzayat in Burma (now Myanmar). It was built by order of Japan during World War II to support its forces in the Burma campaign. 
  

The terrain the railway crossed made its construction very difficult. Hellfire Pass in the Tenasserim Hills was a particularly difficult section of the line to build due to it being the largest rock cutting on the railway, coupled with its general remoteness and the lack of proper construction tools during building. The most famous portion of the railway is Bridge 277, 'the bridge over the River Kwai', which was built over a stretch of river.

About 180,000 Asian labourers and 60,000 Allied prisoners of war (POWs) worked on the Burma Railway. Of these, around 90,000 Asian labourers and 16,000 Allied POWs died as a direct result of the project. The dead POWs included 6,318 British personnel, 2,815 Australians, 2,490 Dutch, about 356 Americans and a smaller number of Canadians and New Zealanders.

One of them was Leendert Arend Jan Bos. He fell ill on March 21, 1943, and died on June 19, 1943, around 15:00 in a hospital in the Thai POW Camp at Tha Makham Village in Kanchanaburi County in Thailand. He had suffered from beri-beri due to a vitamin B1 shortage. Leendert Bos is buried on the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery. 

Nieuwsblad voor de Hoeksche Waard en IJselmonde, 9-10-1945

See also: GaHetNa.nl, The Building of Hellfire Pass, erelijst.nl, 4en5mei.nl, Delpher.nl, NationaalArchief.nl.

Bigamist Franz W.J.H.P. Sturm got caught in 1924

Franz Wilhelm Joseph Heinrich Paul Sturm, a 34-year-old engineer of German ancestry, was in 1924 convicted of bigamy by the court in The Hague in The Netherlands.

De Tribune, 19-4-1914

Franz Sturm had first been married, at the age of 22, in 1912 in Germany. With his first wife he fathered 3 children. In World War I, Franz fought in the German army. During the crisis after the war, Franz could not find work, and returned to the Netherlands.
In Dordrecht, he found a job at the office of a shipyard. There Franz met a 22-year-old Dutch girl, whom he married in 1922 in The Hague. With his bigamous wife, Franz had an additional child.
Franz’ Dutch wife was Adriane Johanne Georgine Muller who was born on 12 January 1901 in Rotterdam as daughter of Leendert Muller and Neeltje Maartje van Stigt who both originated in Puttershoek. They were married on 1 March 1922 in The Hague. Their only child was Heinrich Paul Sturm, born on 14 June 1922 in Tiengen.

Franz's first wife, however, couldn’t forget Franz, and tried to find him. The family of his second wife tried to find out more about Franz, too. Both requests for information ended up with the same official who thus noticed the bigamy. That's why Franz was arrested.
Franz confessed to having committed bigamy, and was locked up in a house of detention. At the court a witness testified that Franz' first marriage had been unhappy. His first wife was 10 years his senior, and the spouses had different religions and different social positions. Despite those differencea, his first wife refused a divorce.
On 8 July 1924, Franz Sturm was sentenced to 1 year in prison with deduction of pre-trial detention. His second wife returned to her parents, and her marriage was dissolved.

Algemeen Handelsblad voor Nederlandsch-Indië, 9 July 1924

Franz Sturm was born on April 3, 1890, around 2:00 a.m. at the Voorstraat 543 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. His parents were Franz Wilhelm Joseph Heinrich Sturm (35) and his wife Johanna Maria Amalia Louise Kunde. They also had a daughter Amalia Maria Johanna Louisa Victoria who was born in The Netherlands.

Sources: WieWasWie.nl, Delpher.nl, HaagsGemeenteArchief.nl, Het Utrechts Archief.

Born at the Battle of Waterloo

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday, June 18, 1815, near Waterloo in present-day Belgium, then part of the United Kingdom of The Netherlands. June 18, 1815, is also the birthdayof  Frederika Louisa Wilhelmina van Beusekom, daughter of Gijsbertus van Beusekom and Anna Verkerk, who gave birth "on the battlefield between Quatre-Bras and Waterloo". The Battle of Quatre-Bras had been fought on the 16th.
Gijsbertus van Beusekom was a soldier in the 7th battalion of the ground forces. Obviously, the baby girl was patrioticly given the same name as the Queen Consort of Dutch King William I, Frederica Louisa Wilhelmina of Prussia (1774-1837).

Rotterdamsche Courant, 5-6-1865

Saleswoman Frederika Louisa Wilhelmina van Beusekom (48) married Jean Paradies (51) on May 18, 1864, in Utrecht, The Netherlands. Jean was born on July 30, 1812, in Vlissingen, The Netherlands. He was a son of a bricklayer Johannes Paradies and his wife Cornelia Pietersen. Jean died on December 14, 1884, in Utrecht. Frederika Louisa Wilhelmina died in Utrecht, too, on November 1, 1886.

Tombstone Tuesday - Pieter de Jong & Willempje Cornelia Zijderveld

My grandparents Pieter [Piet] de Jong (1892-1973) and Willempje Cornelia [Willie] Zijderveld (1892-1976) are buried in the cemetery of 's-Gravendeel on the Hoeksche Waard island: 

My grandparent's tombstone

My grandfather was born in Sprang-Capelle and at the age of 7 he lost his father, leaving the widow and children in very poor circumstances. My grandmother was born in Dordrecht as an only daughter with several brothers and was a bit spoiled.

Treasure Chest Thursday - My Grandmonther's 1941 ID-card

Recently I received a little "treasure chest" from my uncle Cees de Jong. Among many other papers pertaining my grandparents, it contained my maternal grandmother's wartime identity card:  

My grandmother's 1941 ID-card

This ID-card ("persoonsbewijs" in Dutch) was introduced in The Netherlands by the Germans during World War II in April 1941.



My Little Treasure Chest

I'd never seen a photograph of my grandmother before she was a bended little old granny, so this ID-card is a real "treasure" for me!