End of Year Blogging Fun

Author: Brenda Leyndyke /

I have been writing Journey to His Past for less than a year.  I have enjoyed sharing my husband's family with you.  Kirk's ancestry has taken me to states and countries that I haven't researched with my family.  As the new year approaches I thought I would share a few fun things with you.

The Top 3 Blog Posts were:

  1. Dutch Naming Tendencies
  2. Luijendijk to Luyendyk to Leyn Dyke to Leyndyke
  3. Timothy Francis Corcoran and Helen Smith Marriage License.
Referrals
  1. Google
  2. Geneabloggers Thank you, Thomas!
Top Keyword Searches
  1. I was ready to research.  So was I.  This is the number one search term.  Interesting.
  2. Leyndyke James.  This could be my father in law or brother in law.  What would you like to know? 
  3. St. Philipsland Netherlands Cemeteries.  Kirk has ancestors from St. Philipsland, but I don't have an cemetery information available, yet.  Sorry.
  4. Lena van den Bos.  Yes, I have written about Lena van den Bos.  She is Kirk's great, great grandmother.  Contact me, please.  I love making new family connections.
Pageviews by Countries-Top 3
  1. United States
  2. Netherlands-Yay! 
  3. Russia

  

Vrolijk Kerstmis- As the Dutch Would Say

Author: Brenda Leyndyke /



Kirk's, Leyndyke or Luyendyk, heritage is 100% Dutch from his grandfather back.  I find researching his ancestry fascinating.  Today, Christmas Day in the United States, I celebrate his ancestry with a few holiday customs from The Netherlands.

The eve of December 5th is the time that children look forward to in The Netherlands for it is the eve that Sinterklaas (St. Nicholas) visits, much like Christmas Eve is for American children.  Don't confuse Sinterklaas and Santa Claus as they are not the same people in the Netherlands.

The children are told that this is the day that Sinterklaas sails from his homeland in Spain.  He travels with his servant, Black Peter, bringing gifts with him.  Presents are put in a bag with a neighbor knocking on a door or window and leaving the bag there.

The children aren't looking for a sleigh and reindeer as Sinterklaas travels on a grey horse going from rooftop to rooftop.

These are just a few highlights of Sinterklaas.  Peter at Peter's Blog does a much better job of explaining it.  Scroll down the page to read the highlights or right click and translate his blog.  

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas or as the Dutch would say Vrolijk Kerstmis.

Cape Canaveral and Christmas Memories

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels:

Kirk and Joanne
Jim 
Early 1960's

One of Kirk's all time favorite Christmas gifts as a child was Cape Canaveral Space Launch Play set.   It was the Fort Apache of space.  It was a set up of Cape Canaveral with rockets, trucks, and scientists.  Kirk's dad, Jim, set it up as a replica of Cape Canaveral on a wooden board.  Kirk and his brother, Jim, spent many hours launching rockets, sometimes at each other.  Here is a colored picture of Cape Canaveral.

What is your favorite Christmas gift?

Mrs. Roger's Fruit Cake-Family Recipe Friday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,


It is that time of year when Fruit Cake is given as a gift.  The Fruit Cake recipe below was found in Frances Dollaway's recipe book.  I am not sure who Mrs. Rogers is, but Frances Dollaway had a son Roy, who married Agnes Rogers.  There may be a connection there.  

There aren't any directions with this recipe, but if I was making it I would cream the sugar, molasses and shortening, add the eggs and buttermilk, add raisins, spices and soda.  I wonder if this is all the ingredients or if she added flour.  I don't know what would soak up the buttermilk.  I think there must have been flour.  What do you think?  I like how it calls for spices.  What spices? Cinnamon and cloves maybe.

     


Mrs. Roger's Fruit Cake

1 cup sugar
1 cup Molasses
2/3 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 cup Butter milk
1 cup raisins
1 teaspoon spices
1 heaping teaspoon soda

Death Certificate for Pieter Luyendyk

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

Source:  Michigan, State of. "Death Records 1897-1920." Database. State of Michigan. Seeking Michigan. http://seekingmichigan.org  2009.

The above record is the death certificate for Peter Luyendyk, Kirk's great great grandfather.  I found it at seekingmichigan.org.  The image is a little hard to read, but I was able to glean a lot of information from this record.  

Peter Luyendyk died 13 October 1903 in Gaines Township, Kent, Michigan.  He was a farmer and a widow.  It lists his parents as Jacob Luyendyk and Anna Vanderhal?.

Peter Luyendyk is buried in Blaine Cemetery, Gaines Township, Kent, Michigan.  Unfortunately, there is no gravestone marking his burial place.

Other research I have done shows that  Pieter Luijendijk was born 28 August 1823 in Zuid-Beijerland to Jacob Luijendijk and Anna van der Burg.  The birth date on the death certificate is wrong.  Pieter Luijendijk married Jaapje Maasdam in Zuid-Beijerland, Zuid-Holland, Netherlands on 7 May 1847.  Pieter and Jaapje immigrated to the United States in 1849, settling in Owasco, Cayuga, New York.  Pieter and Jaapje moved to Michigan between 1860-1870.  Jaapje preceded Pieter in death on 11 February 1900.

Helen Schmitt Corcoran-Sunday's Obituary

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

Source:  The Grand Rapids Herald, 11 April 1949, microfilm owned by Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan.


Mrs. Helen Corcoran, wife of Timothy F. Corcoran, passed away Sunday afternoon at her home, 1000 Lafayette Ave., SE.  Besides her husband she is survived by two sons, Bertrand F. and Howard J., both of Grand Rapids; five grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs Joseph Pfaff and Mrs Lucy Smith, both of Chicago, Ill.  The deceased was a member of the Macabees and the Claudian League.  Funeral Mass will be sung Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock in St. Andrew's Cathedral.  Mrs. Corcoran reposes at the Ronan Funeral Home were (sic) relatives and friends will recite the Rosary Tuesday evening at 8 o'clock. 

 Helen Corcoran, nee Schmitt died 10 April 1949 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan at the age of 66.    She is buried in Restlawn Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Sint Philpsland, Netherlands-Those Places Thursday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: , ,

Current Day Map of Sint Philipsland, Zeeland, Netherlands

Sint Philipsland is located in the province of Zeeland in the Netherlands.  It is the name of the village where many of Kirk's van den Bos ancestors lived.  The village of Sint Philipsland was founded in 1645.

1866 Map of Sint Philipsland, Netherlands

Neeltje Cornelia van den Bos, Kirk's great grandmother was born in Sint Philipsland in 1877.  I have traced the van den Bos family to the 1700's in Sint Philipsland.  Other ancestor's surnames include Nelisse, Quist, van Oostende, Verwijs, de Zutter, and de Groene.  These surnames are from Sint Philipsland, Netherlands, too. 


Christian Reformed Church, Sint Philipsland, Netherlands

The Christian Reformed Church in Sint Philipsland, Netherlands was built in 1668.  Kirk's ancestors were of the Christian Reformed faith.

The above map of The Netherlands shows where the van den Bos name can be found today.  The darker the color the more people with the van den Bos name living in that area.  Sint Philipsland is to the left of the arrow.





Joseph W and Adelia (DeGan) Denny-Tombstone Tuesday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: , , ,



The Denny Plot

Joseph W Denny 

Adelia Denny 

The above pictures are from St. Mary Cemetery in Vergennes Township, near Lowell, Michigan. These were the first cemetery photo's I ever took.  I have learned a lot since then, like not to have my husband or the car in the picture.  I need to return to the cemetery and retake the pictures.

Joseph W. Denny died 22 September 1894 in Kent County, Michigan.  His wife, Adelia DeGan Denny died 5 March 1905 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan.

Bertrand F. Corcoran-Funeral Card Friday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,




Kirk's Grandfather, Bertrand Francis Corcoran was born 7 January 1903 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois to Timothy Corcoran and Helen Schmitt Corcoran.  

He lived most of his life in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  He married Leona Dollaway in 1925.  They had five children:  Richard, Elizabeth, Helen, Nancy and John.

Bertrand F. Corcoran died 21 July 1959 in Elk Rapids, Antrim, Michigan at the age of 56.  He is buried in Woodlawn Cemetery, Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Bertrand Corcoran and Leona Dollaway-Wedding Wednesday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: , ,

St. Andrew's (Catholic Church) Cathedral, Grand Rapids, Michigan, July 2012

Kirk's maternal grandparent's, Bertrand Francis Corcoran and Leona Adelia Dollaway were married 3 June 1925 at St. Andrew's Catholic Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan.  Their marriage record can be found at Kent County Clerk's Office in Grand Rapids, Michigan Book 22-Page Number 81.  It is also available in Michigan Marriages 1868-1925 through Family Search website.

This is a transcription of the information found at Family Search.

Record Number:  4225
Date of License:  May 29 1925

Groom:  Bert F. Corcoran
Age:  22
White
Residence:  Grd Rapids
Birthplace:  Chicago, Ill
Occupation:  Jobber
Father:  Timothy Corcoran
Mother:  Helen Smith
Times Previously Married:  none

Bride:  Leona Dollaway
Age:  19
White
Residence:  Grd Rapids
Birthplace:  Lowell, Mich
Occupation:  Secretary
Father:  Wm. Dollaway
Mother:  Frances Denny
Times Previously Married:  none

Date of Marriage:  June 3, 1925
Place of Marriage:  Grd Rapids, Kent Co. M.

Name of Official Station of Person by Whom Married:  R.E. Fitzpatrick minister

Witnesses:  Francis Freel, Grd Rapids
                  Louise Mangold, Grd Rapids

The Marriage of Cornelius Luyendyk and Neeltje Cornelia van den Bos

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

One hundred nineteen years ago today, Kirk's great grandparents were married.  Cornelius Linedyk and Nellie Bush, as their names were recorded in the Kent County marriage book, were married in Dorr Center, Michigan.  

The table below is from the transcription that I took when I visited the county clerk's office.  This simple entry in a county marriage ledger prompted a few questions.

1.  Why is Nellie's name recorded as Bush?  Her maiden name was van den Bos.  I would love to know the story of their marriage.  What did her parent's think of their daughter getting married to a man twice her age.

2.  Where in Dorr Center were they married?  A church, friend's house, justice of peace or ?  Cornelius was living in Grand Rapids, Michigan at the time, which is about 20 miles North of Dorr.

Unfortunately, Cornelius and Nellie were only married six and a half years.  Cornelius died in 1900, leaving a   22 year old wife with two young children, ages three and five.


 

Marriage Record of Cornelius Linedyk and Nellie Bush


Found at Kent County Clerk Office, Grand Rapids,  MI
Book 11 Page 131  License # 7167


Name
Age
Residence
Birthplace
Occ.
Groom
Cornelius Linedyk
32
Gaines Township
New York
Farmer
Bride
Nellie Bush
16
Kent County
Netherlands


Date of Marriage:  November 17, 1893
Place of Marriage:  Dorr Center

Happy Halloween-Wordless Wednesday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

My husband, the cowboy
 
Although this wasn't a Halloween picture, I decided to share it today.  My husband wanted to be a cowboy when he was younger.  He was so proud of this cowboy outfit, hat and guns to boot. 
 
 
Happy Halloween to all the cowboys and cowgirls out there!!

Where o' Where is Abraham Van Oeveren? Mystery Monday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

I am posting this under Mystery Monday, but it could be under the Madness Monday theme.  I have been trying for the past five years to find Abraham Van Oeveren in the 1880 and 1910 United States Census records.  Short of going through the Grand Rapids census pages one by one, I have looked and looked.  I have been known to look through page by page, but it is usually a much smaller area to look at.  I am guessing my inability to locate them is due to the last name and how it was transcribed.  I even searched for him using each of his children's names.

This is what I know:

  • Abraham Van Oeveren was born to Abraham and Neeltje (de Bruin) Van Oeveren in 1865 in the Netherlands.
  • The family came to the United States around 1871.
  • Abraham Van Oeveren married Janna 'Jennie' Kosten in 1885, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
  • Abraham and Jennie had six children:  Ada in 1890; Nellie in 1896; Jeanie in 1902; Abraham 'Bud' in 1905; Lois in 1911; and Edward 'Russ' in 1915.
  • Abraham can be found in the 1900, 1920, and 1930 Census living in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Abraham you can hide for the time being, but I will find you.  My next step is to search for Abraham using Grand Rapids City Directories to narrow down where he lived.  At least then I will have an idea of what part of Grand Rapids to look for.

Do you have a census record you have been looking for awhile? 

Where in the World is Cornelius Luyendyk?

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: , ,

Where in the World is Cornelius Luyendyk?
 
One of the first record groups that a family researcher looks for is the census records.  Below is a table with the census records for Cornelius Luyendyk, Kirk's great grandfather.  I included how the last name was indexed, too.  It took awhile to find Cornelius in the census records with all the different spellings.  Since the 1890 census records are unavailable I used city directories to fill in the 1890 gap.
 
 
FACT
DATE
Indexed As
PLACE OF RESIDENCE
ENUMERATION DISTRICT/PAGE ID./DWELLING
Birth
15 Feb 1859
 
Owasco, Cayuga, New York, USA
 
Census
1860
Lwendeck
Owasco, Cayuga, New York, USA
/p490/132
Census
1870
Lineback
Wyoming Township, Kent, Michigan, USA
/p656A/275
Census
1880
Luyndyke
Gaines Township, Kent, Michigan, USA
131/167A/74
Directory
1890
Luyendyk
35 Ellsworth Ave.  Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan
 
Census
1900
Londyk
Paris Township, Kent, Michigan, USA
86/21A/458
Death
16 June 1900
 
Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, USA
 


Quirin Schmitt-Tombstone Tuesday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

 St. John Neumann Section of S.S. Peter and Paul Cemetery,
 Naperville, Illinois, United States
 
FATHER
QUIRIN SCHMITT
1852               1927
 
Quirin Schmitt is Kirk's maternal great-great grandfather.  He immigrated from France in the early 1870's.  He was a liveryman and wagonmaker for many years in Downers Grove Illinois.
 
He is buried in Row 27-Number 13 in the St. John Neumann Section of S.S. Peter and Paul Cemetery, Naperville, Illinois.  

Timothy Francis Corcoran-Sunday's Obituary

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

Source: Grand Rapids Press, (Grand Rapids, Michigan), 18 April 1952, card file clipping owned by Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Michigan. 

Timothy Corcoran, 75, Dies; Was Millwright

Timothy Francis Corcoran, 75, of 1000 Lafayette av., SE, a native of Chicago and resident here 44 years, died Thursday night at St. Mary's hospital after a short illness.

Mr. Corcoran was a retired millwright and was a member of Holy Name society at St. Andrew's cathedral.

Surviving are two sone, Howard J. and Bert F., both of Grand Rapids; five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Andrew's cathedral, with burial in Restlawn Memorial park. The body is at O'Brien's Colonial home.

Decorating with Genealogy

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: ,

My husband and I painted our living areas this summer a rich, warm, chocolate brown.  Upon completion, my eyes rested on the hallway wall to the bedrooms.  It was the perfect place for a gallery wall.  The average person would have looked for art prints to display.  Not me, I decided to hang family pictures.

With a little help from Pinterest, a project was born!  I went through my family pictures and decided which ones I wanted to hang.  I wanted to show the Leyndyke and Glover sides of the family.  I narrowed the final selections down to 29 photographs, one marriage certificate and one FAMILY photo letters hanging.

Here is the end result.


One of the projects I saw on Pinterest was to take a copy of a marriage certificate and decoupage it to the letter of your last name.  I had Kirk's grandparent's, Peter and Nellie Leyndyke, marriage certificate-so I gave it a try.  I printed a copy onto parchment paper, bought a letter "L'and went to work.

I positioned the certificate over the L in a way that one could tell it was a marriage certificate.  A part of their names wrap around the right side of the L.  I trimmed it to fit and decoupaged it.  Here is the end product.

Next, I ordered prints to frame.  Then, I took advantage of a Michael's sale and bought a few frames.  I spent days rearranging the pictures on top of two six foot tables.  Once I was happy with the arrangement I turned them upside down, placed wax paper on top of them, and marked where the nail needed to go.  Kirk nailed the wax paper to the wall, leveled it, and pounded the nails in for me.  He tore off the wax paper and hung the pictures.  The wax paper was a great way to keep everything in order.  I only made two mistakes, the nail for the L was on the wrong side and one of the smaller pictures had to be moved up.   The following Leyndyke family pictures are hanging proudly on our wall.  It is a reminder of where we have come from.

 Twins, Kirk and Karen
 Stained Glass Window, Vierpolders, Netherlands-the Luijendijk homeland
 Peter and Nellie (VanOeveren) Leyn Dyke
 L-R Richard, Helen and Elizabeth Corcoran
 James Marvin Leyndyke
L-R Siblings Lena Luyendyk, Janie Kennedy, Peter Leyn Dyke
 Bertrand Francis Corcoran
 Helen (Schmitt) and Timothy Corcoran
 Elizabeth (Corcoran) Leyndyke and her grandmother, Frances (Denny) Dollaway
 Neeltje (van den Bos) Luyendyk Kennedy
Leona (Dollaway) and Bertrand Corcoran
Elizabeth (Corcoran) and James Leyndyke
Kirsten (Leyndyke) and Chase Agnello-Dean
 
 
Are you wondering which Glover pictures I selected?  Check out my other blog, Journey to the Past,  to see them.

Grandpa Had a Sister?!-Wednesday's Child

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: , , , ,

L-R Lena Marie Luyendyk, Janie Haviland Kennedy, Peter J. Leyendyk (later, Leyn Dyke)
Photograph taken after Janie's birth in 1907 and before March 1910.
 
 
Kirk's grandfather, Peter Leyn Dyke, never talked about his sister to anyone's knowledge.  I was looking for Peter in the 1900 United States Census records (indexed as Lundyk) and found Peter living with his father, Cornelius; mother, Neeltje; AND sister, Lena.  I did a double take when I found that record.
 
 Source:  1900 U.S. Census, , Population Schedule, Paris Township, Kent, Michigan, ED 86, p 21, dwelling 458, Head of household Conelius Lundyk.
 
I asked Peter's son, James Leyndyke, if he knew about Lena.  He didn't and thought it may have been a cousin of Peter's.  I suppose that could have been a possibility, but I didn't give up researching her.  Eventually, I found Lena's birth record at Michigan Births 1867-1902 at familysearch.org.  She was born 30 September 1896 in Gaines Township, Kent, Michigan.  Her parents were listed as Cornelius Luendyke and Nellie Luendyke.  A visit to the Kent County Clerk's Office in Grand Rapids, Michigan confirmed that information.

It wasn't until the picture above arrived at Kirk's parent's house that the family believed she really did exist.   Peter's daughter, Betty, sent a few pictures at her brother Jim's request.  This was one of them.  What a treasure!

I was intrigued to find out more.  Why didn't anyone in the family know about her?  Why wasn't she ever mentioned by her brother, Peter? 

Unfortunately, she died at the age of 13.  Lena's father Cornelius died in 1900.  Her mother, Neeltje, remarried Addison B. Kennedy in 1903.  The family moved to Chicago and lived there with the last name of Kennedy.  Lena Marie Kennedy died 1 March 1910 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  She is buried in Mount Greenwood Cemetery, Chicago, Cook, Illinois.  Sadly, there is no headstone.

So, why didn't Peter talk about his sister, or for that matter, his step-sister?  A few things need to be taken into consideration.  First, five months after Lena's death, Peter's mother, Neeltje, died.  I imagine this threw the whole family into a grieving state.  Peter was 15 at the time.  Can you imagine losing your sister and a few months later, your mother at such a young age?  I am sure Peter coped the best he could and it was one of those things you probably didn't talk about.

I am thankful I found Lena in the family. I only wish I had found her before Peter Leyn Dyke died, or maybe it was better I didn't.  I wouldn't want to be the one responsible for bringing up memories that Peter may have wanted to remain his own.
 

 
 

Andrew Dollaway Revolutionary War Pension-Military Monday

Author: Brenda Leyndyke / Labels: , ,


Source:  "Revolutionary War Era Pensions," digital images, ProQuest LLC, Heritage Quest Online (Access through participating libraries : accessed 2012), From National Archives microfilm publication M805, roll 275, image 390, File W16238, Page 3 of 12.


Andrew Dollaway was a soldier in the Revolutionary War for a period of nine months.   I found his widow's pension file at heritagequest.com, which is available online through participating libraries.  Page three of the file contains information about his service. A transcription is below.

Notif. sent to W.H. Buch a leg. Esq.  Poughkeepsie, Ny 20th July 1823

16020
New York R

Andrew Dollawy of Fishkill in the state of N. York who was a private in the regiment commanded by Colonel VanSchank of the N. York line for the term of 9 mo

Inscribed on the Roll of New York at the rate of Eight Dollars per month, to commence on the 1st of March 1817

Certificate of Pension issued the 25 of Sept 1819 and sent to James ??nott, Esq.  Poukeepsie, N. York

Arrears to 4th of Sept 1819
Semi-anl. all co ending 4 Mar 1820

Revolutionary claim, Act 18th March, 1818

Continued ? (Assume it is a signature)