Journey to His Past

Can you imagine being named the same name as your two deceased siblings?  Nellie VanOeveren was the third 'Nellie' in her family.  It's common for Dutch families to use the name again after someone dies.

Nellie VanOeveren was the fourth of eight children born to Abraham VanOeveren and Janna 'Jennie' Kosten VanOeveren.  She was born on 11 June 1896 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan.  Her siblings were:

• Nellie (1886-)
• Nellie (1888-1889)
• Ada (1890-
• Jeannie (1902-)
• Abraham Jr. 'Bud' (1905-1987)
• Lois (1911-1999)
• Edward Russell 'Russ' (1915-1999)

Nellie lived in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan until her marriage.  Nellie VanOeveren married Peter LeynDyke on 1 January 1917 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan.  Pete and Nellie lived in Flint, Genessee, Michigan until they retired to Florida. 



Nellie died 31 May 1994 in Bradenton, Manatee, Florida at the age of 97 years.  She is buried in Manasota Memorial Park, Bradenton, Florida.

Kirk's paternal grandparents, Peter LeynDyke and Nellie VanOeveren were married New Year's Day, 1917 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan.  They were married an amazing 74 years. 

Source:  "World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918," [database on-line], Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : accessed 21 March 2011), Entry for Peter Leyndyke; United States, Selective Service System. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration. M1509, 4,582 rolls. Imaged from Family History Library microfilm.

The above record is the World War I draft registration for my husband's grandfather, Peter Leyndyke.  Peter's birth date was recorded as 4 October 1894, which is an error.  According to his certificate of live birth, his birth date was 5 October 1894.  I only discovered this error a few weeks ago!  Even when Peter was alive I thought his birthday was the 4th.  I guess that is better than the 6th, as his birthday card should have arrived on time, if not early.

The Luijendijk name originated in 1470 on the island of Hoekse Waard, Netherlands.  The name is directly related to the life and work in the polders of ancient Holland. 

Luijendijk means the lazy dyke.  It is the second dyke behind the one that protects the polder from the invasion of sea or river water.  It is not the "active" dyke, hence the word lazy (or luie/luye dijk).  The family lived near such a secondary dyke, when people started to adopt family names.

Luyendyk is the more common American spelling of the surname.  Although no one is certain of the change in spelling, one can infer the the ij was changed to y, when ij is written it is almost identical to y.

Leyn Dyke is the spelling my husband's grandfather, Peter, adopted.  Peter was five years old when his father, Cornelius Luyendyk died.  His mother, Nellie, remarried Addison B. Kennedy.  Peter used the surname Kennedy until he was older and wanted to take his father's surname back.  He was unsure of the spelling so he spelled it Leyn Dyke, with the capital D.  Peter continued using this spelling until his death.

Leyndyke is the spelling my husband's family uses.  Kirk's father, Jim, changed it during his time in World War II.  During the war, Jim wouldn't receive all his mail as it was called to Jim Dyke.  He dropped the capital D and Leyndyke was born.

Here is my husband's Leyndyke lineage:

Kirk Leyndyke
James Leyndyke
Peter Leyn Dyke (1894-1991)
Cornelius Luyendyk (1859-1900)
Pieter Luijendijk (1823-1903)
Jakob Luijendijk (1789-1834)
Klaas Luijendijk 1745-1829)
Jacob Christiann Luijendijk (1708-)
Christiaan Corstiaan Luijendijk (1678-)
Corstiaan Cornelis Luijendijk (1648-1707)
Cornelis Arend Luijendijk (1618-1701)
Arend Jan Luijendijk (1583-1647)
Jan Arend Luijendijk (1556-)
Arend Jan Luijendijk (1530-1561)
Jan Arend Luijendijk (1500-)
Arend Luijendijk (1470-)