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1798-1825
Adrianus Arensz Heerschap was born on 4 October 1798 in Ouddorp, Zuid Holland [South Holland], The Netherlands.1 Ouddorp, or "old village," is a small Dutch town build around an ancient church with windmills within walking distance of the town center on the west side of the island of Goeree-Overflakkee. In the Ouddorp records he is listed as child of Aren Pietersz Heerschap and Jannetje Pietersdr Francke. His father died when Adrianus was 10 years old. He lived with his mother and siblings until he married. In the 1821 Ouddorp family record, he is living with his mother Jannetje and his younger brother Klaas Arensz Heerschap.
Adrianus married Klaartje Pietersdr Laauwe on 7 October 1825. Klaartje had previously given birth to a son Abraham Laauwe (later known as Abraham Heerschap). Abraham was named after Klaartje's grandfather, Abraham Laauwe.
When the family was listed in the 1826 Ouddorp records, Adrianus Arensz Heerschap was listed as head, Klaartje Laauwe and Abraham Laauwe as family members.
1825-1850
On 23 April 1826 the couple gave birth to Pietertje Adrianussd Heerschap. In January 1848, Pietertje married Adrianus van Seters. Two years after Pietertje's birth would follow on 13 October 1828 another daughter, Jannetje Adrianussd Heerschap. On 29 November 1850, Jannetje married Jacob Murewis.
The next decade began with the birth of another son, Aren Adrianusz Heerschap, on 15 February 1831. The Ouddorp register lists Aren as leaving Ouddorp on 27 July 1853. Aren would later marry Grietje de Jong on 3 March 1865 in Ouddorp. Shorthly, afterwards, Aren's first son, Wouter, was born on 13 September 1865. Before the end of the year, the family left Ouddorp.
On 28 January 1833, Adriaantje Adrianussd Heerschap was born to Adrianus and Klaartje. We currently do not have any other information on her at this time.
Another son, Cornelis Adrianussz Heerschap, joined the family on 11 February 1834. Cornelis would marry Neeltje Jacobsdr Meijer in Ouddorp on 1 April 1858. Cornelis and Neeltje gave birth to twelve children before emmigrating from Ouddorp in 1887.
On 26 May 1836, Ariaantje Adrianusdr Heerschap was born. Later she would marry Cornelis Woutersz de Jong on 14 September 1860. They gave birth to Jannetje de Jong on 5 June 1861 in Ouddorp.
Leendert Adrianussz Heerschap was born to Adrianus and Klaartje on 30 September 1838.
Adrianus and Klaartje gave birth to thier youngest daughter Maartje Adrainus Heerschap on 27 April 1841.
With Adrianus nearing his fiftieth birthday, he and Klaartje gave birth to their youngest son Klaas Adrianus Heerschap on 13 February 1847.
1850-1884
With the economic struggles of the mid-century in Ouddorp, some of Adrianus' and Klaartje's children began to emmigrate to North America. The earliest to elave was their oldest son Abraham Laauwe Heerschap in 1853. He was later followed by his youngest two brothers Leendert Adrianus Heerschap in 1869 and Klaas Adrianus Heerschap in 1866. Joining them were their sister Maartje who appears to have come over and settled in with Abraham in New Jersey.2
Adrianus and Klaartje celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary in Ouddorp on 7 October 1875. The following year, on 23 November 1876, Adrianus died. He died on the 53rd birthday of his eldest son who was entire ocean away. Klaartje died five years later on 15 April 1881.
Footnotes
| 1 | Information gathered from the records of Ouddorp. |
| 2 | This is a conclusion from reading the Martha listed as living with Abraham and Jannetje in the 1860 New Jersey census. |