I will continue to move forward with updates about my fill in the gaps project. If anything, the pandemic has reinforced to me that I need to get the rudiments of my family history completed so that I can get digital copies to other family members.
So I moved on to Grandpa’s Zuidweg grandfather, Johannes Zuidweg, born 23 December 1842 in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands.
You can find out about him in these posts. A lot of information can be found there.
I have these records: birth, marriage, criminal, death, obituary, 1910 census, headstone, photo, and I manage his memorial page on Findagrave.
Did Johannes serve in the Dutch military? I did ask Yvette to research this question, and this is her summary reply:
Johannes Zuijdweg, born 1842. He was found fit for duty and designated to serve.
Unfortunately, the enlistment registers did not identify the regiment he served in, so his
military records could not be located.
What a shame! I would love to know more about his military service, especially in light of the disturbing news that he served two months in jail for theft after the accidental death of son Lucas. I discuss this crime in the two blog posts above.
Here is Yvette’s more detailed response:
Johannes Zuijdweg in militia registration, 1861
Source: Goes, lists of men registered for the National Militia, levies 1851-1862, 1851 no. 8,
Johannes Zuijdweg; call no. 1438, archives of the city of Goes, 1851-1919, Goes Municipal
Archives, Goes; scans provided by Goes Municipal Archives.
Abstract:
No. 8, Johannes Zuijdweg, born Goes 23 December 1842.
Physical description: 1.601 m, long face, narrow forehead, grey eyes, ordinary nose and
mouth, round chin, brown hair and eyebrows, no noticeable marks.Son of Adriaan [Zuijdweg] and Johanna Mulder
Occupation: “kruidewerker” [spice worker, probably: grocer], father deceased, mother maid
Informant: himself.
Johannes Zuijdweg in militia enlistment, 1861
Source: Goes, lists of men registered for the National Militia, levies 1854-1862, 1861 no. 36,
Johannes Zuijdweg; call no. 1484, archives of the city of Goes, 1851-1919, Goes Municipal
Archives, Goes; scans provided by Goes Municipal Archives.
Abstract:
No. 36, Johannes Zuijdweg, born Goes 23 December 1842.
Height: 1.601 m
Son of Adriaan [Zuijdweg] and Johanna Mulder.
Occupation: “kruidenwerker” [grocer], father deceased, mother maid
Informant: himself
Lot number 59
Designated to serve.
Regiment: [blank]
These registers show that Johannes Zuijdweg was found fit for duty and designated to serve.
Unfortunately, the register does not indicate which regiment he was in, so his military record could
not be located.
As far as Johannes’ immigration and naturalization information, I am awaiting the completion of the project Amberly is undertaking for me. He only lived in the United States for ten years before his death (1901-1911), so I think it’s unlikely that he was naturalized.
The Family Kalamazoo 
Hi I was interested to see a “Kallewaard house” in your pictures. My great grandfather was Cornelius Kallewaard and he was married to Maria (Flipse) Kallewaard and I think they lived in that house. When I was a kid I can remember visiting my grandparents at another house on Burdick Street – it was the same house my father and uncle were born in. All I can remember is you could look over at crosstown Parkway and see the purple cleaners (Park Cleaners). That house was torn down in the late 1950s and replaced with some commercial offices on Burdick Street that are now either vacant or have been redone entirely. I am curious as to the location of the house you had in your picture and I’m also curious why some of the Kallewaards spell their last name with one A and some spell it with two A’s. I didn’t grow up in Kalamazoo so I’m not familiar with that. When I retired a couple years ago we moved to Kalamazoo into Parkview Hills and when I went to the dry cleaners I was asked which Kallewaard I was. That’s when I learned it was spelled 2 different ways Do you have anything about the change in spelling of the last name or perhaps have heard it from somebody as I will continue to try to figure that out. Before retiring, I was in the Ann Arbor area the past 50 years. Two of my former business colleagues have wives from Kalamazoo – both either went to school with or knew Kallewa(a)rds. Do you have anything that might shed more light on the two different spellings or do you know someone who might? I appreciate any help you could offer and wish you well. I noticed there is a building company in Kalamazoo called the Kallewaard Group that spells it with one A. my grandfather was a builder and built single-family homes on Westnedge in the 1920s but he spelled his name with two A’s. Tom Kallewaardm.panther@sbcglogal.net
Sent from AT&T Yahoo Mail for iPhone
Hi Tom, I am going to email you. Maybe not today, but soon. About the double A versus A–I think it’s just a matter of whether someone chose to use the original Dutch spelling or not. Lots of Dutch names have the double A, so I have seen it a lot. Whether or not different families or family branches in the U.S. adhered more strong to one spelling or the other, I don’t know. Talk to you soon!
Such a wonderful photograph. He looks like a thoughtful (in the pensive sense) person. Of course, that sounds crazy since it’s a snapshot in time, but that’s my impression.
So interesting that you say that. Last night I was thinking about his photo a lot. I had never really seen it in the same light I now do. it struck me that I would love to see it in color. Val’s work is not in my budget right now, so I tried the new My Heritage color tool Awful job. It made him look a bit sepia, but more yellowish. Now I realize he had graying brown hair and gray eyes, I see him more as he would have been. And I think what you say is true. In fact, he looks to me like a man, if he had been born in a different time period, who would have been a college professor or in some other thinking profession. Thanks for noticing, Amy!
That’s a shame they can’t find a military record without a unit. Good luck with finding out more.
Yes, it’s pretty disappointing. Thank you, Eilene!
Amazing story, Luanne. The Kalamazoo legacy remains vibrant and alive from your genealogical research and commitment to solving riddles of the past.
You’ve been brilliant. Onward.
Ah, thanks, Sheila. At least I keep putting one foot in front of the other. Thank you for your women’s history series!
Wouldn’t be much of a theft for a two-month sentence. That a small infraction could muddy our search output centuries later … genealogical paranoia.
Considering how they used to throw the book at people, I think you are right. I also think there is someone unique that went on that made a middle-aged man whose son had just died a gruesome death to steal something. Maybe they took that into consideration? Impossible to know, I guess.
Hi Luanne ~ the physical description of Joannes matched the photo quite well. We are all so lucky to have these photo treasures to accompany our research. Your thoroughness with this project is wonderful and with every posting I say to myself, I got to get on the ball like Luanne ~
I agree about the description except the nose. Don’t you think his nose is somewhat longish and very narrow? That seems worth mentioning to my mind. Oh well. It was a long time ago ;). Thank you for your kind words, but really I am just a keep plugging on kind of person. xo
More pieces of the puzzle!
Yes!!!
What a fascinating person! You’ve discovered so much about Johannes, but the remaining missing pieces of the puzzle make me want to know more.
Sheryl, that is exactly how I feel! There is a story hidden there!