Lineage 1: Brussels, Belgium to Goes, Zeeland, Netherlands: My 4th great grandfather, Jan François Joseph Fredrik Goossen, was a Dutch Reformed Schilder (House Painter) who immigrated to Chicago, Illinois in 1854 from Goes, a city on Zuid-Beveland in the southwestern Province of Zeeland. While Jan's father, François Goossen, was from a well-established family of Zeeland Protestants, Jan's mother, Maria Louisa Everard, was a Roman Catholic. Maria was an immigrant to Goes from the heavily Catholic Belgian Capital of Brussels. This is proven by the 1812 Census of Goes (Maria Louisa Everard, geboren op 12 november 1798 te Brussel, gehuwd, Rooms-Katholiek) and her death record, which lists her place of birth as Brussels. Her extant baptism record shows that she was baptized on November 12, 1790 at the Brussels Catholic Church known as Saint Géry/Sint-Gorik, which was destroyed during the French Revolution only a few years later. The Catholic Parish Records in Brussels, which are written in Latin, allow Maria's ancestry to be traced back a few generations in Brussels, and possibly several more generations in Merchtem and Buggenhout, two other Flemish cities. I think it is very interesting that Maria, a Roman Catholic, immigrated to Goes and married into a Dutch Reformed family. According to the famed historian Robert P. Swierenga: "The most important characteristic of Old Zeeland was its religious conservatism. Protestants there had the reputation for being arch conservatives and traditionalists. They were echte Calvinisten, genuine Calvinists and staunch defenders of the old creeds. Zeeland was the heart of the "Bible-belt" in the Netherlands that stretched inland "between the Rivers" to Gelderland". Sure, it is possible that Maria had converted to the Dutch Reformed Church, but her 1812 Census record implies she kept the Catholic Faith. Her mother was still alive in Brussels, so her reason for immigrating is unknown. If she remained a Roman Catholic, I wonder how her husband François was looked upon for marrying a Catholic. Presumably, this wasn't a very popular thing in devoutly Calvinist circles. These questions will remain, but the fact is, this Zeeland family had an immigrant ancestor from Belgium.
Lineage 2: Echzell, Hesse, Germany to Elburg, Gelderland, Netherlands: My 5th great grandfather, Willem Stephan, was a blacksmith who immigrated to Holland, Michigan in 1873 from Harderwijk, a city in the Veluwe in the Province of Gelderland (interestingly, Harderwijk is at almost the exact geographic centre of the Netherlands). Willem's paternal grandfather was Johan Phillip Stephan, a sailor and immigrant to Elburg, a city in Gelderland, from Echzell, a municipality in the modern-day State of Hesse, Germany. This is proven by his marriage and death records, which list his place of birth as Bingenheim (an ortsteil of Echzell). The 1812 Census of Elburg provides his date of birth, which, along with his death record, which lists his parents, allows us to find his origin in Germany, and trace back his ancestry for a few generations. Supposedly, he was a Prussian Sailor who deserted and moved to Elburg. One online tree references the 1787 Prussian military campaign in the Netherlands to restore the Stadtholderate of the House of Orange to power, during the political discontent of the Patriottentijd. Maybe he was involved in this campaign, and ended up settling permanently in the Netherlands. While I cannot verify this story, the fact is, the Stephan family of Gelderland had an immigrant ancestor from Germany, or at that time, the Holy Roman Empire.
Lineage 3: Burgsteinfurt, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany to Ulrum, Groningen, Netherlands: My 5th great-grandfather, Jan Derks Harkema, was a Dutch Seceded tailor who immigrated to Holland, Michigan in 1847 with the second group of Van Raalte settlers. His maternal grandfather, Jan Wilmers, was originally from Burgsteinfurt, which is located in the modern-day State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. In 1771, he married Grietje Kijfs in Ulrum, Groningen, Netherlands, where they had at least six children. The couple's marriage registration on October 12, 1771 states: "Jan Wilmers van Burgsteinfurt in het Graafschap Bentheim Ps". This translates to "Jan Wilmers from Burgsteinfurt in the County Bentheim", with Ps probably being a reference to Prussia. This is a confusing reference, because the County of Bentheim is located in the modern-day State of Lower Saxony and the region of Westphalia didn't become a part of Prussia until the 1800s. By the time of his marriage, he had become a resident of Ulrum. Regardless of where exactly the city of Burgsteinfurt was located politically, the fact is, the Harkema family of Ulrum had an immigrant ancestor from Germany, or at that time, the Holy Roman Empire.
Lineage 4: Emmerich am Rhein, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany to 's-Heerenberg, Gelderland, Netherlands: My 5th great grandfather, Willem Stephan, who I mentioned earlier, apparently had another German immigrant ancestor. My 9th great-grandfather, Hermannes Zwep, was originally from Emmerich am Rhein, a city located in the District of Kleve in the modern-day German State of North Rhine-Westphalia. In February 1749, he married Wilhelmina Brand in 's-Heerenberg, Gelderland, Netherlands, apparently after a period of catechism. This makes me presume that Zwep was originally a Lutheran, but because they married in the Dutch Reformed Church, was converting from Lutheranism to the NHK. By the time of his marriage, he had already become a resident of 's-Heerenberg. Regardless of the circumstances of their marriage, the fact is, the Stephan family of Gelderland had two immigrant ancestors from Germany, or at that time, the Holy Roman Empire.
Possible Lineage 1: France to Zuid-Holland, Netherlands: My 3rd great grandfather, Pieter Huyser Sr., was a Dutch Seceder who immigrated to Zeeland, Michigan in 1847 from Zoetermeer, then a small village in the Province of Zuid-Holland. According to a sketch of his life written by his son, Peter: "His father, Quirinus Huyser, was of that sturdy Dutch stock that had dwelt on the island called Ysselmonde at the mouth of the Yssel River, and whose ancestors, according to tradition, were French Huguenots who, to escape persecution, had sought safety in Holland." This is not proven, but it's also quite possible. During the religious persecutions in Ancien Régime France, many Huguenots fled to the Netherlands, among other countries. From Wikipedia: "Some Huguenots fought in the Low Countries alongside the Dutch against Spain during the first years of the Dutch Revolt (1568–1609). The Dutch Republic rapidly became a destination for Huguenot exiles...Consequently, many Huguenots considered the wealthy and Calvinist-controlled Dutch Republic, which also happened to lead the opposition to Louis XIV, as the most attractive country for exile after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. They also found many French-speaking Calvinist churches there (which were called the "Walloon churches"). After the revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685, the Dutch Republic received the largest group of Huguenot refugees, an estimated total of 75,000 to 100,000 people." It is possible that the Huyser family of Zuid-Holland had Huguenot ancestors, and although records proving this aren't extant, it seems to me to be fairly probable. Pieter Huyser Sr. likely told his children this, as it was probably a family tradition at that time.
Possible Lineage 2: Germany to Overijssel, Netherlands: My 4th great grandmother, Maria Horning, was born in Zwolle, Overijssel on June 4, 1798, during the French occupation. According to a biography of the van Lente family, which she married into, she was supposedly of the German nobility, although I have not found any proof of this, and personally doubt this. Similarly, another ancestor of the van Lente family, my 5th great grandmother Johanna Sophia Katmans, is claimed to be from Germany. Supposedly, she grew up as a servant girl in a castle called Berg in Moringen. This is possibly Moringen, Lower Saxony, although I do not know of any castle called Berg in the city. Similarly, I doubt this story, as I have seen no evidence for this.
These are my five proven and probable lines where my Dutch immigrant ancestors themselves descended from immigrants to the Netherlands, as well as one doubtful line. This serves to demonstrate that immigration within Europe did occur back in the old days. Migration within the Netherlands was quite common as well. For example, my Strik ancestors in the Province of Drenthe had ancestors from the Provinces of Overijissel and Noord-Holland, and my Vinkers ancestors in Groningen had ancestors from the Province of Friesland.
Additional Sources:
- https://www.dutchgenealogy.nl/quick-tip-98-of-dutch-people-have-immigrant-ancestors/ Quick tip – 98% of Dutch People have Immigrant Ancestors
- https://www.cairn.info/journal-annales-de-demographie-historique-2009-2-page-193.htm Migration to the Netherlands in the first half of the nineteenth century: an assessment using the Utrecht censuses of 1829 and 1839
- https://www.swierenga.com/Zeeland_lec.html From Zeeland to Zeeland in 1847
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