Map of the Week: Minute Map of Bredevoort, 1832

When the cadastral administration was introduced in 1832, maps were made of the entire country. Each municipality was divided into sections. All the plots in a section were mapped in one or more sheets. The map we see today is for Bredevoort, a fortified town in Gelderland. You can find the minute maps for the whole country at the Cultural Heritage Service website or you can read more about cadastral overview maps and minute maps. … [Read more...]

Four Degrees of Separation

Randy Seaver offered the following Saturday Night Genealogy Fun challenge: Using your ancestral lines, how far back in time can you go with FOUR degrees of separation? That means "you knew an ancestor, who knew another ancestor, who knew another ancestor, who knew another ancestor." When was that fourth ancestor born? Here is my line: I knew my paternal grandfather, Hendrik Hoitink (1914-2000). He knew his maternal grandmother, Johanna Piek (1860-1930). She would have known her … [Read more...]

My great-aunt Hendrickje Stoffels, partner of Rembrandt van Rijn

Earlier this week I had the pleasure of going to the Rijksmuseum to visit the Exhibition "Late Rembrandt," featuring the works of the latter part of Rembrandt van Rijn's career. A long-term wish of mine came true: I stood eye-to-eye with paintings and portraits of Hendrickje Stoffels, my 11th great aunt. Hendrickje Stoffels, partner of Rembrandt Hendrickje Stoffels came into Rembrandt's household in 1649, after his wife's death. The 23-year-old woman took care of his household and his young … [Read more...]

Rembrandt

Today (July 15) is the 400th anniversary of the birth of Rembrandt. He was born in Leiden and grew up to be one of the most famous painters the world has ever known. Besides just liking his paintings, I've got a genealogical interest in him... … [Read more...]