Online Dutch Archives & Records

It is hoped that this article will be a handy resource for anyone who is fortunate enough to have Dutch ancestry. The Dutch have phenomenal genealogical records. Not just their civil records such as births, marriages, and deaths, but also for their church records. In 1811, all provinces (states) of the Netherlands were required to record all births, marriages, and deaths. Church records such as baptisms, marriages, and burials are the necessary records to search before 1811. Church records may date back into the 1500s.

Genealogists looking to research Dutch records will be glad to know that many of these records are accessible online. Not just indexes and transcriptions of the records but many times a scan of the actual record is available; for free also. All archives' websites are different so the researcher will not know until the sites are searched.

Below is a list of online archives that I have book marked. Many of these sites have been used by me and some have not. The archives are organized by the province that they are within. A few of the larger, mainstream, and informative sites that might be sought after are listed first.

Larger and Popular Sites
WieWasWie
FamilySearch
FamilySearchWiki
National Archives of the Netherlands
Archivenet

Church Records
Access to church records on Family Search by province

Archives in Province of Drenthe
AlleDrenten

Archives in Province of Friesland
HistoricCentreLeeuwarden
Tresoar
Ameland
AlleFriezen

Archives in Province of Gelderland
Barneveld
Apeldoorn
Gelderland Archief
Regional Archief Zutphen
Achterhoek & Liemers
Regional Archief Nijimegen
Regional Archief Rivierenland

Archives in Province of Groningen
Gemeente Archief Hoogezand-Sappemeer
AlleGroningers

Archives in Province of Limburg
Rijckheyt
All Limburgers
Gemeente Archief Venlo
Archief Venray
Gemeente Archief Weert

Archives in Province of Noord Brabant
West Brabant Archives
BHIC
Regional Archief Tilburg
Breda Archives
Regionaal Historich Centrum Eindhoven
Altena Archief
Gemert-Bakel Archief
Waalwijck Archief
's Hertogenbosch Archief

Archives in Province of Noord Holland
Noord Holland Archives
Westfries Archive
Regional Archive Alkmaar
Zaanstad Archive
Vecht en Venen
Waterlands Archief

Archives in Province of Overijssel
Historical Centre Overijssel
Gemeente Archief Kampen
Gemeetearchief Hengelo

Archives in Province of Utrecht
Utrechts Archief
Archives Eemland

Archives in Province of Zeeland
Zeeland Archief
Gemeente Archief Schouwen-Duiveland
Gemeente Archief Goes
Gemeente Archief Tholen

Archives in Province of Zuid Holland
Delft Archief
Stadarchief Rotterdam
Voorne-Putten & Rozenburg
Rijnland Archief
Rijnstreek en Lopikerwaard
Regional Archives Dordrecht
Den Haag Archives
Leiden Archives
Vlaardingen Archives
Schiedam Archief
Stadarchief Delft
Gemeente Zederik
Oud Soetermeer

Who Are They? 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 9

As I have mentioned before everyone should know the importance of lightly writing on the back of old photos as to who the individual/s are. If writing on the reverse of the photo is not an option, some means of name identification should be accomplished. I have numerous photos of relatives and ancestors that date back to the 1860s and maybe earlier. Unfortunately everyone who would be in the know as to who these people are are long gone; some upwards of one hundred years or more.

This week's ancestor biography is on ... I do not know?  Below are photos of unknown ancestors. I have an idea of who they might be but that is it. No solid proof. Only a hunch?

Below are two photos that came from the town of Zierikzee in the Netherlands. Zierikzee is the town where my great great grandfather Hendrik Koreman and his three siblings were born.  Around 1852 the family immigrated to America. On the reverse side of the photos is the address of the photographer, which is how we know the photos are from the Netherlands. The below photos could be of siblings to my ggg grandfather Cornelis Koreman. Whoever they are? They felt it important to send these photos to New York.

CJ Korsten, Zierikzee, Photographer

Zierikzee

The remaining two photos below are from Rondout, New York; just outside Kingston. My grandfather told me numerous times about his ancestors living in Rondout before coming to Albany. These photos are proof that they were in Rondout.

Vallaha, Division Street, Rondout

DJ Auchmoody, Garden & Ferry Streets, Rondout, NY

The final photo, I do not know if it can be called a photo. It is like a piece of glass with a negative print in it.  It is very difficult to see the print. However if a dark background is placed behind it then the image becomes very clear. I do not know what type of photo it is. If anyone knows the answer to this question, please let me know. One noticeable thing is the man in this photo is also the same man in the photo two pictures above. Both of these photos came from different cousins within the Koreman family.

Glass negative type photo?

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Week 3; Charles Koreman

Until last year, since the early 1850s there have been three men named Charles Koreman living in Albany.  A father, a son, and a grandson; all with the same name.  This bio will focus on Charles I. His name was not always Charles.

Charles Koreman, circa 1872

He was born Adrianus Johannes Koremans on 31 January 1844 in the city of Zierikzee, in the Province of Zeeland, in the Netherlands; to Cornelis Koremans and Maria Catharina Colen.  Charles was the younger brother of my great-great grandfather, Henry Koreman.  The author believes that sometime after the family arrived in the United States, circa 1852, that Adrianus Johannes Koremans' (Adriaan John Koreman in English) name was changed to Charles Koreman.  From there the name stuck.

Adrianus Johannes Koremans, Dutch birth certificate

In the 1860 New York State Census, 16 year old Charles was listed without an occupation but residing with his parents.  The following year the Civil War broke out and the young immigrant boy desired to show his patriotism for his new homeland.  He longed to enlist as a volunteer soldier. Against his parents' wishes he was mustered into the 177th Regiment of NYS Volunteers as a Private on 16 October 1862; and within five weeks Charles was discharged as a minor on 23 November 1862 for enlisting without his parents consent.

Record from 177th Regt. NYSV, Adjutant General Book

Record from 177th Regt. NYSV, Muster Rolls

Record of Discharge 

However within two years Charles re-enlisted as a Private this time in the 12th Cavalry, NYSV on 8 September 1864 for a one year term.  He was discharged on 14 June 1865 at Raleigh, North Carolina.

Charles Koreman, 12th Cavalry, NYSV

Record from 12th Cavalry, NYSV Adjutant General Book

Record from 12th Cavalry, NYSV Descriptive Rolls

Charles Koreman, 12th Cavalry. NYSV, Discharge Paper

After the war Charles re-entered life as a civilian and took up the occupation as a saddler.  At one point Charles and older brother Henry were in business together as saddlers in 1873 according to the Albany City Directory for that year.  Below is a listing from the directory for their business.

1873 Albany City Directory Ad

Also around 1873 Charles married Magdelena Behrhof (1854 - 1892). Magdelena was the younger sister of Margaret Behrhof who married Henry Koreman in 1863.  Two Koreman brothers married two Behrhof sisters.

Magdelena Behrhof Koreman, circa 1875

Charles and Magdelena resided in Albany's South End on Osborn Street for a number of years before moving around the corner to 77 Catherine Street in a neighborhood known as the "beehive." The couple had eight children;

• Charles (1874-1877)
• Henry (1876-1876)
• Margaret (1877-1938)
• Charles Joseph (1878-1938)
• Peter Edward (1880-1933)
• Henry William (1884-1939)
• Frank Joseph (1886-1915)
• Adrian Charles (1890-1927)

Charles Koreman seated center of picture with crossed arms

From 1888 till 1893 Charles was employed as a foreman at the Carriage Manufactory of James Goold Company until his eye sight started declining.  I believe the photo above to be the workers from the Goold Carriage Company.  His poor eyesight enabled him to apply for a pension with the United States government for service during the Civil War.  An affidavit from his Civil War pension files is below detailing his troubles.

Affidavit from Koreman's pension records

Charles kept his ties with other Civil War soldiers by joining one of the local Grand Army of the Republic posts.  As of this writing, the author knows that Charles was a member of one the three GAR posts in Albany but not which one.  Below is a photo of Charles on the right; seated perhaps next to his brother-in-law, Joseph Wagner, who also fought in the war.  Both men are wearing GAR dress uniforms.

Charles Koreman, seated right

Charles died on Christmas Day 1908 in Albany at 77 Catherine Street.  He collapsed and was found in the hallway of his home according to the Albany Evening Journal.  One of the last photographs of Charles is below.  Charles is seated left; brother Henry is seated right; and an unknown Koreman relative is standing behind them.  The unknown man may be Henry Koreman Jr.?  Charles was buried in Our Lady Help of Christians Cemetery in Glenmont, NY.

Koreman photo circa 1908

Half Moon at the Corning Preserve

Something fun that I found on the net:

On Friday, September 19th, come down to the Hudson Riverfront at the Corning Preserve at noon to witness the arrival of the replica of Henry Hudson's ship, the Half Moon! This annual tradition is not only a great way to celebrate history, but it’s also an educational opportunity for students from the Netherlands and the local area to live aboard the ship and take part in educational activities that are not unlike the days of Henry Hudson and his Dutch crew.

Half Moon