Ask Yvette – A research plan for an 18th-century brick wall ancestor

Reader Rob Ton wondered what other sources he might consult to identify the parents of his brick wall ancestor Aert Ton. Aert Ton was married in Heerewaarden, a village in Gelderland, on 19 May 1737 to Hendersken van Neerlangen. Neither his marriage nor his burial record identifies his parents. Since this is a common problem that many of you are facing, I thought I'd share how I create a research plan. I have never done any research in Heerewaarden before, so you can see how I discover what … [Read more...]

Sources for Dutch Genealogy – Pre 1811 Cheat Sheet

Looking for information about Dutch ancestors in the period from say 1650 until 1811 (before the introduction of the civil registration)? This cheat sheet will tell you which sources to consult. In some cases, not all types of records are available in each region. If a town did not have an orphan chamber, the administration of the estates of (half-)orphans was handled by the court. Not all regions had notaries, in which case voluntary legal actions were handled by the court as well.  … [Read more...]