My next fill-in-the-gaps couple is Grandma’s great-grandparents–my 3x greats, Karel Pieter Philippe Mulder and Johanna Maria Boes Mulder.
Here are the Ancestry-created bios:
When Karel Pieter Philippe Mulder was born on February 21, 1837, in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands, his father, Karel, was 24 and his mother, Rose, was 27. He married Johanna Maria Boes and they had six children together. He also had three sons and three daughters with Klazina Otte. He died on April 22, 1881, in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands, at the age of 44.
When Johanna Maria Boes was born on July 8, 1835, in IJzendijke, Zeeland, Netherlands, her father, Izaak, was 30, and her mother, Adriana, was 26. She married Karel Pieter Philippe Mulder on November 7, 1861, in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands. They had six children during their marriage. She died as a young mother on November 19, 1867, in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands, at the age of 32.
Karel’s family had been in Goes and would continue in Goes, for the most part. But Johanna was born in a town about 30 miles away from Goes. She would marry, live, and die in Goes.
Such a sad story. After bearing six children, Johanna died at age 32. Her sixth child was stillborn about six weeks before Johanna herself passed. Also, a daughter born three years before had also passed away as an infant, only a few months old. The other four children, all boys, survived. One of them was my 2x great-grandfather Pieter Mulder who immigrated to the United States with his wife and first two children.
Karel himself was two years younger than Johanna, so when she died, he was a 30-year-olg widower with four children. Nine months later, he married Klazina Otte. He had six children with Klazina. I have written before about the situation with this family. Karel ended up being a prosperous merchant, but when he died at age 44 in 1881, Klazina was left with her own children, as well as the two youngest children of Johanna’s. Those two were sent to the orphanage in Goes. I wrote about it here: Pieter the Orphan. In that post I wrote how Karel owned the store with family members, and I don’t know how that affected things financially when he passed. Perhaps Klazina couldn’t care for that many children physically. Perhaps she couldn’t afford to. I wondered if the family had been “severed” from the boys being sent to an orphanage, but then I was contacted by family in the Netherlands who shared with me a letter from Pieter to his half-brother Jan: The Treasure that Arrived in an Email. Then I could see that the siblings kept in touch. That was wonderful news.
So what do I have about Karel and Johanna and what am I missing?
For Karel, I have his birth and death records. I also have his marriage records for Joanna. I have information from Yvette Hoitink about Karel’s business and real estate ownership. In working on this fill-in-the-gap project I dug up a marriage record for Karel and Klazina.
For Johanna, I have her birth, marriage, and death records.
I found a painting to represent Johanna on Ancestry. This painting is of a woman from the same town Johanna was, painted by Jan Haak. Maybe this is how she looked when she got married, before she had six children.
Yvette Hoitink was able to find some information about Karel’s military history–namely, there is none. That is because he was actually too short to be taken for the military.
KAREL PIETER P. MULDER
- 21 February 1837, Goes m. 7 November 1861, Goes
Karel Pieter Mulder married in Goes in 1861, so his marriage supplements did not survive. Goes enlistment records were ordered. He married at age 24, so could have fulfilled his military before marriage.
Karel Mulder in militia registration, 1856 Source: Goes, lists of men registered for the National Militia, levies 1851-1862, 1856 no. 27, Karel Mulder; call no. 1438, archives of the city of Goes, 1851-1919, Goes Municipal Archives, Goes; scans provided by Goes Municipal Archives.
2
Abstract:
No. 27, lot no. 77
Karel Mulder, born Goes 21 February 1837. Physical description: 1.495 m, broad face and forehead, blue eyes, pointy nose, ordinary mouth, round chin, bond hair and eyebrows, no noticeable marks. Son of Karel [Mulder] and Rose Melanie Bataille. Occupation: apothecary’s hand, father: shoemaker Informant: himself.
This shows the name as Karel Mulder, not Karel Pieter P. Mulder. Karel Mulder is the name found in previous phases. The birth date and parents match the information previously found, proving this is the correct person.
Karel Mulder in militia enlistment, 1856 Source: Goes, lists of men registered for the National Militia, levies 1854-1862, 1856 no. 29, Karel Mulder; call no. 1484, archives of the city of Goes, 1851-1919, Goes Municipal Archives, Goes; scans provided by Goes Municipal Archives.
Abstract:
No. 29, Karel Mulder. Born Goes 22 February 1837. Height: 1.495 m Son of Karel [mulder] and Rosie Melanie Bataille Occupation: apothecary’s hand, father shoemaker Informant: himself
Lot number 77
Undersized, one year delay.
This shows that Karel Mulder was too short to have to serve in the military. He got a one year delay to see if he would grow. Unfortunately, the Goes archives did not check the register for the next year to see if he made the mark that year.
Later from Yvette by email:
The Goes archivist had to be in the archives and checked the following years of militia enlistment registers, but Karel Mulder does not appear in the later years. It appears he never served in the military on account of being too short.
It looks like Karel never got tall enough for the military. Maybe he was happy about that, maybe not.
So how short was he? I believe he was about 4’9. I do think that a line of short men came from this branch. His grandson, my great-grandfather, was not a tall man, although definitely taller than 4’9. After that the men were taller as my great-grandmother was tall.
The gaps I have for Karel and Johanna will probably always be places where I have to insert my imagination. I have all the main pertinent documents relating to their lives.
The Family Kalamazoo 
A sad story indeed. Strangely enough we were talking only yesterday about how tall Dutch people are. It seems there were exceptions.
I read what you wrote here and then searched through the blog and my emails because I thought I had this “conversation” a few years ago with Yvette Hoitink, the Dutch genealogist. If I remember correctly the Dutch were not so tall until more recently. In the time period when my ancestors were immigrating to the U.S. they were average height for Europeans–this is over 100 years ago. But then they began to average out taller. According to a Smithsonian article the Dutch have gained over 8 inches in height over the past 150 years. This 2015 article also gives “natural selection” as the reason. However, my own theory is that it has something to do with dairy products. Another thing is that while Dutch men are the tallest Europeans, the women are not. Something is going on there, that’s for sure!
That is fascinating. I met several tall Dutch people of both sexes in France. Dairy products makes sense to me.
In this country a lot of the dairy cows are given growth hormones. Europe is usually better about that stuff than the U.S., I think.
Another fascinating piece of your family jigsaw puzzle. I’m currently working on 17th century colonialism and though obviously earlier than this, what stands out was the high standards of social behaviour regularly noted by English visitors to the Netherlands which suggests orphanages were not the Dickensian horrors we read about in Britain. When I visited friends there I was impressed at how well integrated many institutions for vulnerable people were. As part of Karneval celebrations people often visited care homes etc.
Wow, such cool information! I love hearing that. I wrote a post once about a Dutch orphanage where there was abuse, but look how it was handled! https://thefamilykalamazoo.com/2017/07/29/a-beating-or-the-leeuwenhoek-connection-part-3/
Very interesting discussion about height. I learned something!
I also have too many situations like this—couple have oodles of kids, mother dies. Father remarries younger woman, has oodles of kids, father dies. It makes me feel very grateful for modern birth control!
And 4′ 9″ is very short for a man even then, I’d think. Amazing details you were able to find!
I agree. I think it was the Smithsonian article about height argues that taller men have more kids. LOL, Karel at 4’9 managed to have plenty of kids so not sure where their “data” comes from.
I hear you on modern birth control. Those poor women!!!!
I really enjoyed this post, Luanne. But sad to think of the death of the too-young mother.
I know! All those babies and then just to die. My daughter is that age now and I think of her as still so young.
Echoing Amy’s thoughts on women. So sad and equally glad we are alive today. While anyone under 4’10” is considered dwarfism BUT not always the case perhaps a possibility? Do we know the average height for that time frame for men? That would be an indicator with this. We could really go crazy on the Smithsonian article LOL
The way Yvette’s research went my guess is that it was in the bounds of “normal” height, but very very short. That is why he was first turned down for being too short, but they gave him time to grow. So they must have only needed another inch or two. But he never grew any more. And I guess nutrition could be a big factor in being that short, too.
yes – nutrition. It’s interesting they even had a height requirement back then 🙂 Have a wonderful weekend
It is kind of amazing. So much of what has gone on in the world as been lost to us, I think. You have a great weekend, too!
Even though there are still many gaps, I’m very impressed about how much you were able to learn about these individuals. For me, sometimes the places where there are gaps, and I need to insert my imagination end up being the places I find most interesting.