This post is dedicated to Yvette Hoitink at Dutch Genealogy.
Two wonderful events have occurred recently which add to my treasure trove of genealogical information and old family photos. One is that my mother sent me my grandmother’s high school graduation (and beyond) scrapbook. In my last post I showed off my grandmother’s teacher contract from 1931-32 and a photo of my grandparents two years before they married. These were from the scrapbook. I will be posting more of these treats in the future.
The other event is that Yvette Hoitink, a Dutch genealogist, quickly and easily found a wealth of information about the Zuidweg family–my grandfather’s Dutch ancestors. Dutch Genealogy is a site which describes Yvette’s services. You can contact her through that site. What would have taken me years of effort and a good knowledge of the Dutch language, took Yvette a few hours. In the next few posts, I’ll be examining some of the information Yvette found. Among other tidbits, she discovered incorrect information I had catalogued, information which discredited family stories, and an intriguing coincidence.
Today’s post is to share the coincidence. My grandfather, Adrian Zuidweg, born in 1908 in Kalamazoo, Michigan, married my grandmother, Lucille Edna Mulder, in 1932. See the last post for a photo of them as a young couple. Here is a wedding photo.
Adrian Jr. and Edna (Mulder) Zuidweg, 1932
Grandma’s father was Charles Mulder, of Caledonia, Michigan. His name at birth, in 1885 in Goes, the Netherlands, was Karel Pieter Phillipus Mulder.
My great grandfather Charles Mulder with his parents and siblings. He’s front row, second from the right, with the curly dark hair.
In the 5th generation of the Zuidweg family, Yvette discovered a Carel Mulder, who was born about 1781. She writes, “On 5 May 1836 he was a jailor’s hand in Goes, Zeeland, the Netherlands. He died on 19 May 1847 at the age of 66 in Goes, Zeeland, the Netherlands.” I’ll hazard a guess that this is a common name, but the same town name is certainly intriguing.
Looking back a little further, I see that my great grandfather’s grandfather was Karel Mulder, born February 21, 1837 in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands. He died in April 22, 1881, also in Goes. Obviously not a match.
Not his father either.
But look! Another generation back was yet another Karel Mulder, born March 8, 1780 in Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands. He died May 19, 1847, also in Goes. HE’S A MATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And now I know that this ancestor of my GRANDMOTHER and of my GRANDFATHER was a “jailor’s hand.” Whatever that is.
My husband isn’t as excited about information like this. He says, “Do you know how many people were alive in those days? It’s not that big a coincidence to have that happen.” And actually today, in the land of Facebook, where I’m two degrees removed from almost every other American Facebooker, it might not be that big of a deal either. But to me it was fascinating to see that name which is a “staple” of my grandmother’s line show up on my grandfather’s!
According to Ancestry.com the “jailor’s hand” is my “5th great grandfather”:
This is a family rumor which proved to be true. My mother has always told me that my grandparents were cousins of sorts.
The Family Kalamazoo 