1823-1851

Abraham Hascup was born Abraham Laauwe on 6 November 1823 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 Klaartje Pietersdr Laauwe. There is not a father given. What this means can only be guessed. When the family is listed in the 1826 Ouddorp records, Adrianus Arensz Heerschap is listed as head, Klaartje Laauwe and Abraham Laauwe as family members. Adrianus and Klaartje had married in 1825.2 More concerning this is discussed in the Family of Adrianus Arensz Heerschap.

Abraham married Jannetje de Lange on 19 April 1847 in Ouddorp after making their proclammations. Jennie, as she was later called, was born 18 March 1825 in Ouddorp.3 She was the daughter of Pieter Krijnsz de Lange and Maartje Corneliusdr Nuij. Jannetje is also found in the 1826 Ouddorp Records.

At first the couple lived with Jennie's parents as seen in the 1847 Ouddorp Records. While still in the Netherlands, Abram and Jennie gave birth to three children: Clara ["Klaartje"] de Lange, who was born 30 March 1846, Peter ["Pieter"] Laauwe, who was born 11 July 1848, and Matilda ["Martyntje"] Laauwe, who was born 4 March 1851.4

One must take note that the Ouddorp records have a recording of a daughter, Pietertje de Lange, born to Jannetje de Lange on 31 October 1842. The record, dated 1 November 1842, does not list a father. The grandmother of Pietertje is listed as Maartje Nuij age 48. We find recorded that on 12 March 1852 Pieterje left Ouddorp for North America at the age of 9. This, so far, is the earliest reported time for a member of the Heerschaps to have come to America. We have recently discovered from the will of Aart Bakelaar, written November 3, 1887, that Pietertje was married and died prior to the date of the will. Aart records that Pietertje Botdijl(?) was the "deceased daughter of said Abram Heerschap, Sr." Aart married Peternella de Lange, sister of Jannetje. Aart died before the end of 1888. From this will we also discover that Clara was the daughter of Abram also.

The Ouddorp records are also the earliest records of Abraham's signiture. We can compare these early signatures with that found on his will at the end of the century.

1847	1848	1851

1898

1851-1859

By the 1840's, families began to leave the area for other parts of the Netherlands, such as the island of Texel or Noord Holland [North Holland]. Many would eventually move on to America. Some of these families disappeared from the area of Goeree-Overflakkee such as Tanis and Pippeling. Other families that would appear in the American communities the Heerschaps settled in would include Bakelaar, Breen, Kievit, Koman, and Voogd. According to Albert van der Heide,

"Among the earliest to leave Ouddorp in 1847 were Abraham (70), Cornelis (65) and Jan Witte (35) with the latter's family of four children. Three Verhage brothers - Aren (33), Bastiaan (27) and Maarten (29) likely all unmarried - followed in 1848 (the year political unrest in many European capital peaked). From then on numerous households moved across the Atlantic, including that of Willem Breen with eight children and Jan Koman with nine in 1849."5

We learn from the records that Abraham and Jennie must have come over to the United States about 1853. Jennie, in June 1900, reported that they immigrated in 1850. That same month, Matilda reported it as 1851.6 The facts appear that Matilda was the last child born in The Netherlands in March 1851. Abraham Hascup is living in Hackensack, New Jersey by the time of the 1855 New Jersey State Census. According to the 1850-1860 Ouddorp Bevolkingregister, Abraham, Jannetje, Pieter, Klaartje, and Martijntje left Ouddorpon 9 April 1853. We can assume that the family left for North America and had arrived a few months later.

By 1 June 1855, Abraham, Jennie and family settled in East Hackensack [New Barbados], Bergen, New Jersey. They are found in the state census under the name Abraham Hearscup. The family consisted of 7 persons, 3 male and 4 female. There were 4 children there between the ages of 6 to 16, 2 boys and 2 girls. If we count those who left in 1853 we find 1 boy (Pieter) and 2 girls (Klaartje and Martijntje). If we include Abraham and Jannetje than we have 5 persons accounted for. Did Pietertje de Lange join her mother? It is possible and would explain the female count. Two girls between 6 and 16 (Pietertje and Klaartje) and 2 other females (Martijntje under 6 years old) and Jannetje (over 16 years). There is an boy unaccounted for. Of the 3 males, Abraham (over 16) and Pieter (age between 6 and 16) would account for 2. But who is the third boy between 6 and 16? We have not determined who this could be.

On 1 October 1857, another child, John Adrianus Hascup, was born. The first reported Heerschap born in the United States. In later records he would also be referred to as Adrian Hascup, namesake to Adrianus Arensz Heerschap. Soon to follow was Martha Hascup on 1 August 1859.7

Initially, Abraham was a laborer, although by the late 1860's, he had purchased land and become a farmer.

1860-1869

With the 1860 Census of Bergen County we find Abraham Hascup [as the name was written] family living in Hackensack. The 1860's brought further additions to the family and a marriage.

Krine ["Krijn"] was born 31 December 1860, followed by Annie ["Adriaantje"] on 5 June 1862.8 Two years later Nellie ["Pieternella"] was born 22 August 1864. At the time the family still resided in Hackensack. Soon the family would move to Saddle River. This is where we find the elder Abraham and Jennie located in all records after 1865. Their youngest son Abraham was born 14 February 1867 in Saddle River.9 This leads to the conclusion that sometime around mid-decade the family acquired a farm in what is now the Saddle Brook-Rochelle Park area of Saddle River Township. The location of this farm can be found in the 1890 Bergen County Map for Saddle River. It appears that many Hascup's coming over to the Northern New Jersey area spent time working on the farm. We know that both Aaron Hascup's and Nicholas Hascup's family spent time near the farm shortly after arriving from The Netherlands. It was centrally located between the Dutch communities of Hackensack to the east and the cities of Paterson and Passaic to the west. The farm was about five miles east of central Paterson and four miles west of Hackensack.

On 2 December 1866 Clara de Lange Hascup married Krijn Jansz Koman in Paterson, Passaic county, New Jersey. Son of John [Jan Jansz] Koman, he had settled in Paterson with his family after immigrating from Ouddorp, Zuid Holland in 1859. A little over a year later Abram and Jennie welcomed their grandson John Koman into the world. So the Hascup household prepared to face the 1870's with two new young toddler boys (Abraham Hascup and John Koman) living life in the northern New Jersey farmland and the surrounding Dutch communities of Passaic and Bergen counties.

1870-1879

The 1870 Census of Bergen County finds the Hascup's living on a farm in Saddle River Township. Still living at home are Matilda, John [Adrian], Martha, Krine, Annie, Nella, and Abraham. According to the census, Abraham valued the farm at $3000 with personal property valed at $300.

On 8 June 1870, Matilda married Komer Nicholas Voogd, another family from the Ouddorp, Zuid Holland. Komer's parents, Nicholas and Clara, came to the States in 1866 and settled in with the Dutch community of Paterson. On 5 May 1872, Abraham and Jennie welcomed their third grandchild: Clara Adelaide Voogd, born in Paterson. In fact, this decade can be marked by the increasing of grandchildren for the farming couple. In 1874, two namesakes of Jennie were born: Jennie Voogd and Jennie Koman. In 1875, came Abraham's namesake Abram Koman and finally in 1878 was born Nicholas Edward Voogd.

One can only sense this must have been a very exciting time for Abraham and Jennie. While life on a farm involved much effort by all, we can only imagine the family working, with young children lending a hand at making the farm a success. Entering their fifth decade of life and second in New Jersey, Abraham and Jennie enjoyed the fruits of their decision to come to America.

1880-1889

The 1880 Census of Bergen County finds Abraham and Jennie with their children John, Martha, Annie, Nellie, and Abraham living on the farm. Missing from 1870 are Matilda, who married Komer Voogd, and Krine. By the mid-decade New Jersey State Census (1885) only Abraham, Jennie, Nellie and Abraham remain on the farm.

In June of 1881, John Adrian Hascup married Aaltje [Ellie] Grilk, daughter of Fokke [Frank] Tijpkesz Grielk and Hinke [Henrietta] van der Wal.10 They were recent immigrants from Makkum, Worensadeel, Freisland on the north coast of The Netherlands, having arrived in the early 1870's. With John [Adrian] and Ellie's marriage, Abraham and Jennie enjoyed an increase to their grandchildren. In February 1883, Abraham was born to John [Adrian] and Ellie. This was followed by daughters Henrietta in 1885 and Jennie in 1887.

Also during this decade, Krijn Hascup married Sijtke Fokkes Grilk, younger sister to Ellie. They were blessed with daughter Jennie on 22 March 1886.

At the beginning of the decade, Clara and Krijn Koman also added a daughter Katie to the family. In 1884, Matilda and Komer Voogd were blessed with Maria and in 1888 Abraham Hascup Voogd joined the family. Also, during this period daughters Martha, Annie and Nellie married. Martha married John Admiraud before 1885. Annie married Jacob Mierop and Nellie married Marinus Tamboer.

What we know is that by 1890 the elder Abraham had a teenage son named after him, a teenage grandson as namesake, a young boy and a toddler also named after him. A total of five Abrahams! But Jennie was also a favorite with two teenage Jennie's and two toddlers as her namesake. As grandparents Abraham and Jennie were enjoying a growing family from their farm.

1890-1908

The last decade of the eighteenth century would bring additional grandchildren for Abram and Jennie. To John [Adrian] and Ellie were born sons James in 1890, Peter in 1893, Frank in 1894, Edward ["Adrian"] in 1896. A note of sadness came after John [Adrian] and Ellie gave birth to Clara on 1 November 1895. Three days later she died.

As we come to the latter part of Abraham's and Jennie's lives, we find their youngest son Abraham living on the farm and taking over the responsibilities that went along with it. In 1895, young Abraham married Anna Hunter, daughter of James Hunter and Mary Nelson. Thus the older Abraham shared his last remaining years with his son on the farm he spent years building. In July of 1898, the elder Abraham wrote his final will. That September he enjoyed the final blessing of his life when to young Abraham and Anna was born a son. As a fitting tribute to the patriarch of the Hascup family, the young babe was named Abraham. Within two months the patriarch of the family had died on 19 November 1898. Thus for a period of 50 days, in one house, there lived three generations of Abraham Hascups.

When Abraham died, his sons Peter11, John [Adrian], Krine and Abraham were alive. Also, we know that his daughters Matilda, Martha, Annie, and Nellie were still living. His wife Jennie lived on the farm with son Abraham and Anna and their growing family. Almost ten years to the day after the death of Abraham, his wife Jennie joined him in rest on 25 November 1908. She had lived to see a growing family, but the last years of her life experienced great sadness after her husband's death. In 1904, her son John [Adrian] died unexpectantly. Then in 1906, her namesake Jennie, daughter of John [Adrian] and Ellie, died at the tender age of 19. A few months before the elder Jennie past away, another daughter of John [Adrian] and Ellie unexpectantly died. Young Henrietta, age 23 died in May of 1908.

From the time as a young couple leaving their homeland with three young children, Abraham and Jennie had taken the challenge of life from God and accepted it with a full vigor. With Abram working as a laborer to the point of having the ability to purchase land and farm it, and Jennie raising the children, they handed on the values they held as true. As trailblazers for the family, they cleared a path and provided a way for other family members to join them and share their hope and vision for a new life. Others did come, and the Hascup's began to enjoy the opportunities presented them. They farmed, worked as laborers, carpenters, and clerks. They built grocery stores and mortgage companies. The family grew and spread out across the land. Today descendants of Abraham and Jennie live as far south as Florida and as far west as Washington. Many remained near the land that Abraham and Jennie worked. But all share more than a name from their ancestor. They also share in the vision and hope that Abraham and Jennie had as they ventured from their homeland to a new life.

Footnotes

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Last Update: July 30, 2003