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Sunday 5.1.11 – Visting The Archives

Writer's picture: Steven JaronSteven Jaron

Today my mom, aunt and cousin went to this big flower show down by Leiden, so I went to the Amsterdam archives to look up whatever information I could find about my 3rd great grandmother, Keetje Benjamins.  As far as my Dutch ancestry research goes Keetje sticks out because she is the closest, as far as how distant a relative she is dead end I have.  She really shouldn’t be such as mystery since I have been able to find information on all my other Dutch branches which take me back at least as far as about 1730.  From various online sources I have access to I have only ever been able to find her burial site (which mentions her father’s name being Mozes Israel), who she married, and some information about her children.  For a while now I have thought I found her father’s family but after visiting the archives I am not so sure, but more on that in a minute.  When I arrived there I was told to sit at a desk and sign in, which I did.  However as I was looking over the names that were signed in I noticed the names of a married couple I have come across in the past, Renier and Dirjke Bobbe.  They own a family tree website that I visit from time to time to see if any of the new connections I am finding are connected to them as well as because there site includes the family of a good friend of mine and for a while I was trying to figure out if we are connected (we are but I didn’t find it there.)  Any way when I mentioned something to one of the people who worked there he called over Renier and I introduced myself to him and subsequently his wife.  I told him why I was in Holland, mentioned the connection to the close friend, and showed off the big tree I had printed.  Eventually the aide who helps with genealogical records was able to help me.  First we found the birth record for Keetje for whom I apparently had the birthdate wrong.  It also listed her parents, Mozes Benjamins and Elizabeth Marcus van Lier.  I had her mother as Elizabeth Marcus from someone who was able to find a bunch of information for me, but the surname is more helpful.  I also attempted to find the marriage records for Keetje and Samuel Isaac Lob, as well as her parents Mozes and Elizabeth van Lier, however I was unsuccessful though the aide did give me some suggestions on where to look.   I did eventually go to Dutchjewry.org to see if I found anything, which I did.  I saw that she had at least one sister, Sophie born in 1835 about 10 years later which leads me to believe there were other children.  So as I mentioned earlier I thought her father was from one family, the Hena/Zischesh family.  However after looking at the Dutchjewry website I found that he actually may be from the Wing family, his full name being, Mozes Benjamin Bendit Benjamins Wing, a family I had a feeling we had a closer connection to rather than just as an in-law family.  So once I get home I will be pursuing this lead.  I do wish I had had some money on me though so I could get copies of the records I could find.  Maybe if I ask a cousin or e-mail Renier and Dirjke….

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