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Posts Tagged ‘Bassa’

2020 Fill in the Gaps Project: My 4XGreat-Grandparents, Dirk and Aaltje (van Nek) Bassa

Posted in Bassa, Family History, Genealogy, Netherlands history, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 23, 2020| 10 Comments »

Although I have not found a baptismal record for Dirk, I suspect he was born in Lexmond, Zuid-Holland. His parents are associated with that town, his wife Aaltje was born and died there, and Dirk was a farmer in Lexmond, so he probably owned a farm.

While I do not have a baptismal record for Aaltje either, the couple’s marriage document (I have the index, but not the record itself) shows that the marriage took place in Lexmond and states that Aaltje was born in Lexmond on 19 November 1793. Dirk was about four years older than his wife, so he probably was born in or around 1789.

For both Dirk and Aaltje I have death index records, but not the death records themselves. Aaltje passed away on 16 August 1829 at the age of 35. She had given birth to at least seven children. One of the children died at age 5, one at age 20, and two more at age 23 (they were not twins–these deaths were years apart). That left my 3x great-grandmother who died at 41 and her two sisters who died in their early 70s.

At first I thought it was strange that Dirk died in Meerkerk instead of Lexmond, but upon consulting a map I once again discovered how close these towns are: 7 kilometers apart. Here is the index of his death record:

And here is Aaltje’s:

What was Dirk’s life like for the forty years after Aaltje died? It’s hard to believe that a farmer wouldn’t remarry. He would need a partner in running the place. The only other thing I can think of is that one of his children and his/her spouse lived there and helped him manage life on the farm. Of course, after his first born, a son, died at age 20, the other surviving children were all girls.

If I were able to do a heritage tour of the Netherlands, Goes and Zwolle and Lexmond would be the three towns to focus on. Although I thought my Dutch ancestors were mainly from Zeeland when I began this project, I see that they are also from Overijssel province and Zuid-Holland province. However, Lexmond was in Zuid-Holland, but is now in the province of Utrecht.

The Dutch Reformed church building in Lexmond dates from the 13th century. I hope to eventually see how far back I can find family in Lexmond.

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When They Write the Name on the Back

Posted in Alice Paak DeKorn, Bassa, Family History, Genealogy, Kalamazoo history, Kalamazoo late 1800s - early 1900s, Netherlands history, Paak, Peek, Photography early 20th century, Photography late 19th century, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on November 9, 2017| 23 Comments »

Before I get started, just wanted to remind you that I now have a second family history blog called Entering the Pale. As I said last week: If you have any interest in following another part of our family, please head over there and follow. Also, you might want to follow if you have interest in history in general or history of the Pale of Settlement (Ukraine, Moldova, Belarus, etc.) or Jewish history. Besides, I need more followers :).

Another photograph in the beautiful antique photo album was taken in the Netherlands, but unlike most of the portraits, this one is labeled on the back.

 

I had to ask a Facebook group for help with this, and then I also wrote to Adri van Gessel who has been so wonderfully helpful in all matters of Dutch genealogy.

The town is Gorinchem (none of my relatives seem to be from Gorinchem, so that was confusing), and the lady’s name is Annigje Haag.

It’s very confusing to see that an American family member has a 19th-century photograph possibly given by a woman in a town there doesn’t seem to be a connection to. I also couldn’t place her surname.

But eventually the truth revealed itself, thanks to these other people and a trip to wiewaswie.

Annigje Haag was born on 3 February 1858, in Nieuwland. She died on 2 December 1921, in Meerkerk.

On 15 January 1882, in Nieuwland, Annigje married Dirk Boer, who was born on 29 March 1854 in Meerkerk. By the way, he died on 27 September 1923 in Meerkerk. This means that the portrait was taken before 15 January 1882.

Who was Dirk? He was the son of Willem Boer and Teuntje Bassa. Bassa is a surname I know.

Teuntje Bassa, born on 20 November 1816 in Lexmond (a town I know), is the sister of Jacoba Bassa, the wife of Teunis Peek and the mother of Alice Peek/Paak DeKorn (the woman who grabbed the burning stove to remove it from the neighbor’s house). Therefore, Dirk, Annigje’s fiance or new husband, was Alice’s first cousin. They would have known each other.

For location, note that Meerkerk and Nieuwland are between Lexmond and Gorinchem.

Here’s an interesting little tidbit. Notice her belt? There is a woman in an old photograph on a website wearing the exact same belt! Go here. Isn’t that wild?

 

 

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