PUBLISHED IN AUTUMN 2006
IN TWO TOMES IN COOPERATION WITH PUBLISHING-FIRM PROFIEL IN BEDUM (NL) IN
DUTCH LANGUAGE (THE CHAPTER ON THE AMERICAN BRANCH (44 PAGES) IN ENGLISH)
Boelens
Een RK Groninger familie met een grote Bossche tak (BOELENS, a roman catholic family from Groningen with a large branch from ’s-Hertogenbosch)
By: drs J.M.B. Boelens from Vught and O.J. Nienhuis from Assen
CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS
We start in the first half of the 16th century. All the Boelens branches are followed untill the present time.We collected unic photographical material. The books have 1600 pages, 450 images, more than 80 family schemes and they are completed by an index of more than 12.000 names of persons, farms and houses. Furthermore: a list of abbreviations, explanation of terms and notions and a bibliography. On the covers you’ll find the coat of arms recently discovered by us. It has never been published before.
BRANCHES FROM OLDENZIJL AND KLOOSTERBUREN
Part 1 is the genealogy of Boele Jansen in Oldenzijl.The biggest stock form the descendants of Julle Boelens, farmer on Feddemaheerd in Kloosterburen. After the reformation the Boelens family mostly remained Roman Catholic and almost exclusively earned a living in agriculture. From Oldenzijl and Kloosterburen several members of the family established in the city of Groningen. They worked mainly as brewers and merchants. Others continued working as farmers. In later times some members established outside the province of Groningen.
 BRANCH WESTERWIJTWERD
Part 2 deals with the Boelens who are descended from Aaltje Willems, the wife of Cornelis Redmers. She was a daughter of Willem Luirts (Boelens) at Feddemaheerd from part1. Since 1677 the couple has lived at Sijbingeheem (De Palen) in Westerwijtwerd. Descendants of this branch spread in the direction of Aduard and Zuidhorn. Later on members established in the city of Groningen, in the Hague, Enschede and Steenwijkerwold. One branch emigrated to the USA in 1882. We also managed to complete all these descendants.
BREWERS AND TEXTILE MERCHANTS
In the 17th and 18th century more than 15 members of the Boelens family were brewers.Without exception they were brothers of the brewers guild. We follow their history and see that they owned many brewing-coppers in the City and the Province. They had many contacts with well known families from the city of Groningen, such as Sevenstern, Homan, Abbringe,Van Ringh and Hubert.
BRANCH IN ‘s-HERTOGENBOSCH
In 1832 a descendant of Julle Boelens, Johannes Jacobs Boelens, established in the Snellestraat in ’s-Hertogenbosch as a merchant and shop keeper. He becomes the ancestor of a big Boelens family. Descendants of this branch continued working in the textile business untill the present day. They were/are merchants, shop keepers, but also wholesale dealers. The Boelens family belonged to the cercle of well
known Bosch tradespeople. They were related to the families Van de Laar, Van der Ven (Frits van der Ven), Jansen (A.F. Jansen), Dirriwachter and others. One branche has lived in the block houses in the middle of the Market placefor 140 years, another branch lived 80 years in the Minderbroedersstraat. The family was very enterprising. Short and long histories of their businesses were placed in the book. Furthermore a great deal of attention was given to the real estate possessions and the local histories. From ‘s-Hertogenbosch
members of the family moved to Arnhem, Breda and Haarlem.There are also branches in Canada and Australia.
FARMS AND MANORS
The Boelens family originally is a family of farmers from the northern part of the province of Groningen.The family hadfarms in/near Aduard, Bedum, Den Ham, Den Horn, Eenrum,Kantens, Kloosterburen, Krewerd, Leens, Menkeweer, Middelstum, Noordhorn, Oldenzijl, Onderwierum, Rottum, Usquert, Warffum, Westerwijtwerd, Zeerijp and Zuidhorn. Of each farm the book gives data from deeds of purchase
and sale, last wills, inventories and division of estates. The Boelens also lived in several manors in the province during the 18th and 19th centuries: Batenborg near Winsum,Welgelegen in Kleinemeer and Piloursema or Hamsterborg in Den Ham.
 NOT GENEALOGY ALONE
The authors of this work did very much research in the archives during a period of twenty years and collected a wealth of information, mainly in the Groningen archives and the City archives of ‘s-Hertogenbosch.They visited also many other Dutch archives. Of each person the book gives as much as possible the dates of birth, baptism, (notice of) marriage, death and funeral. But you’ll find also data on the professions, places of residence, and possessions. It is mentioned also when someone was politically
or socially actif. Nienhuis and Boelens went through many archive sources e.g. the archives of courts of justice, notaries, Chambers of Commerce, land registry, construction history departments,
newspapers, citizen soldiery and army. All facts are chronologically described in the form of a story. Almost all the deeds are summarized in a nice readable style. With all the deeds and mentions notes refer to the sources. We did interviews and we used them in order to elucidate better the data on the old generations and the local history and also to give a more personal tone.
NOT BOELENS ALONE
The books are valuable for everyone with catholic Groningen ancestors.You’ll find members of almost all Groningen catholic families in the books. There are a lot of relations between the families. They are clarified by many family schemes. Of course the Boelens had a lot of commercial contacts with non-catholics
too.
Also people who are interested in the history of the old city of ‘s-Hertogenbosch and of the persons who lived there in the past, will discover new and surprising information even if they are not related to the Boelens family.Through commercial activities the members of the Boelens family had many contacts outside their own circle.
INTERNET
On www.profiel.nl you’ll find more information such as several pages of the book and a link to the complete index for the whole of the names of persons, farms and houses in the text of the book.
AN EXCEPTIONAL NON-COMMERCIAL EDITION
You’ll understand that such a private edition is exceptional and will only happen once. So think of the future
when you decide how many sets you’ll order.Your children who are now living with you will go each their own way. Do you want your descendants also to have the history of the family at their disposal, then order a set of books for each of your children. Pay attention: Did your (grand)children receive their own leaflets of this publication?
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION AND PRICE OF THE BOOKS
The books will be published in two tomes. Size: 21 by 29,7 cm. Binding: sewed, round back and capital. Paper: 115 grams. Silk. Colour: Inside black and white and cover four colours with family coat of arms. If you order before the 1st of September 2006 the price is € 73 for the two books together (forwarding-charges not included). After that date the price will be € 85. |