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From:
Subject: Re: [D-Col] Re: Guardianship
Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2000 16:45:47 EDT
In a message dated 06/05/2000 9:32:34 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
writes:
> In New Amsterdam (and the Netherlands as far as my
> understanding goes) the Orphan Masters saw to it that a surviving
> parent was never made guardian of the children. The surviving
> parent was not allowed to control the estate left by the deceased
> parent, and other more suitable guardians were appointed to
> control the estate (property, money etc)
>
Lorine,
Here is an actual example of an interaction between a widowed father and the
Weeskamer (Orphans Chamber).
On 26 Jul 1636, Jan Snedeker and Annetje Ruys presented themselves to the
Amsterdam authorities to register their marriage intentions. In that record,
there are several marginal notations, one of which states: "hij neemt aen de
weesmeesters in kennis gevende [ ] [he promises to inform the masters of the
orphans and to show their consent here]
The reason for this requirement was that Jan had been married previously to
Grietgen Michiels, by whom he had a two year old surviving daughter,
Annitgen. Grietgen evidently died either in childbirth or shortly after.
Jan reacted promptly, for the Weeskamer records contain the following:
"Den 1 augusti 1636 heeft Jan Snedicker weduwnaer bewesen zijn dochter
Annitgen out 2 jaeren daer moeder of was Grietgen Michiels van haer moeders
erve de somme van vijfen twintich guldens eens. Ende zal zijn kind houden
... Ende tbehaeghde Heyndrick Jans tkints behuwde oom [On the first of August
1636 Jan Snedicker has proven that his daughter Annitgen, 2 years old, whose
mother was Grietgen Michiels, (has) as inheritance from her mother the amount
of 25 guilders once. And he promised to take care of the child ... And this
pleased Heyndrick Jans, the child's uncle by marriage.]" (Gemeente Archiv
Amsterdam, Weeskamer 23:79)
This assurance evidently satisfied the requirement, as Jan and Annetje were
married in Sloten on 10 August 1636.
Note that there is no explicit mention of a guardian, but it appears that
Heyndrick Jans, who was married to Elsgen Michiels, likely a sister of Jan's
first wife, Grietgen, was representing either the guardian function or
otherwise the interests of the deceased mother's family.
In either case, clearly there was a determined and conscientious effort by
the Amsterdam authorities to see to it that this little girl was properly
taken care of, a most civilized procedure that reflects very well on our
ancestors, I think.
The full story appears in "The European Origin of the Snedeker Family" by
Jeff Snedeker, with Pim Nieuwenhuis and Ted Snediker, New Netherland
Connections, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Jan-Feb-Mar 1996).
By the way, this little girl, Annitgen, was later known as Annetje Snedeker
or Annetje Jans, and was the wife of (1) Lucas Eldertszen and (2) Laurens
Janszen (van Wormer).
Regards,
Ted Snediker
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