A landbouwer is a farmer. There are several related terms that you may encounter in the records: Boer (farmer) Boerenknecht (farm hand) Landgebruiker (literally: land user, often a tenant farmer) Landman (farmer) Bouwman (farmer) Akkerbouwer (field farmer) Veehouder (cattle holder) Varkenshouder (pig holder) Graanboer (grain farmer) Most farmers did not own the farms they worked on. Many were tenants. Originally, their rent would have been a percentage of the yield, … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Understanding borders
24 October 2014 by 2 Comments
If your ancestors lived near a border, try to understand the influence it may have had on their lives. At different times, it may have been very easy or very difficult to cross the border. Your ancestors may have been involved in smuggling or border patrol. They may have been called as witnesses to determine where the border was. These activities could have left traces in records. The language spoken on both sides of the border was probably similar, since most people spoke dialect rather … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Waterschap
22 October 2014 by 3 Comments
The Waterschap is the water board, the government agency responsible for water management. With half our country below sea level, that is a big responsibility. Just last night, the water boards decided to close the storm surge barriers between the North Sea and the rivers to prevent major flooding. Water boards have been around for a very long time. The Hoogheemraadschap Rijnland water board for example, was invested by count Floris V of Holland in 1286. That water board exists to this day … [Read more...]
Lecture – From the Achterhoek to America
19 October 2014 by Leave a Comment
Last week, I gave a lecture about emigration from the Achterhoek to America in the 19th century. I was invited by the historical society of Aalten, Dinxperlo and Wisch, of which I am a member. The interest was overwhelming, they kept having to find more chairs to seat everyone. The Achterhoek is the eastern part of the province of Gelderland. Between 1840 and 1920, over 6,000 people from this region emigrated to the United States, mostly from the towns of Aalten, Dinxperlo, Varsseveld and … [Read more...]
Nominated for APG board
16 October 2014 by 4 Comments
I have been nominated for a position on the Board of Directors of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). What an honor! APG members can cast their votes in the members-only section of the APG website between 15 October and 2 November. The Association of Professional Genealogists is "an international organization dedicated to supporting those engaged in the business of genealogy through advocacy, collaboration, education, and the promotion of high ethical standards." 1 My APG … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Dutch Genealogy article in magazine
14 October 2014 by Leave a Comment
The October/November 2014 issue of the Internet Genealogy magazine features an article about Dutch genealogy: "Find Your Dutch Ancestors Online." In the six-page article, Yvette Hoitink shares websites and tips to help you find your ancestors from the Netherlands. The magazine is available in newsstands in the United States and Canada and for subscribers. A PDF-version is available for purchase from the Internet Genealogy website (bottom of the page: November 2014, vol. 9 no. 4). … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Trouwen met de handschoen
13 October 2014 by 1 Comment
Trouwen met de handschoen literally means "marrying with the glove" and means a proxy marriage. People marry "with the glove" if they can't be in the same location during the marriage ceremony. The bride or the groom is represented by someone with a power of attorney and the marriage will take place as usual, probably with the exception of the kissing of the bride! Originally, a glove was displayed to signify the absent party, which is how the procedure got its informal name. The formal name … [Read more...]
Column – portals
10 October 2014 by Leave a Comment
Portals are websites that provide a single point of access to content of different suppliers. Often, search results in a portal will lead you to the pages of the participating organizations but often you don't even realize that the data is aggregated from different sources behind the scenes. In the world of archives, portals are pretty popular. Some are thematic, like the Netwerk Oorlogsbronnen [War Resources Network], while others aim at presenting all content of a geographic area. Archives … [Read more...]
Quick tip – Not everything is on WieWasWie
8 October 2014 by Leave a Comment
Most Dutch genealogists quickly fall in love with WieWasWie, the website where archives from all over the country publish their genealogical data. But there are plenty of archives, historical societies and genealogists who publish genealogical sources elsewhere on the web. So if you can't find an ancestor on WieWasWie, try other sources as well. The website Digital Resources Netherlands and Belgium has a great overview of what else is available online. … [Read more...]
Dutch term – Wijnmaand
6 October 2014 by Leave a Comment
Wijnmaand literally means "wine month" and is the old word for October. … [Read more...]
