"OF MEIJE JENTIES FROM OUDEGA AND EELCK HENDRIKX OF HEEGH"

GENEALOGY "VAN SLAGEREN"

This genealogy, of which a summary is given below, was composed and written by Nanno van Slageren, Eindhoven, The Netherlands. For more information please contact via e-mail: nannovsl@hetnnet.nl 

SUMMARY

The first three known generations of our ancestors lived and worked in Oudega and Heeg, two villages in an area abounding with water in the municipality of Wymbritseradiel, southwest of Sneek in the southwest corner of Friesland.

Meije Jenties from Oudega, married on the 14th of August 1712 in Heeg with Eelck Hendrikx. According to the marriage-book of the reformed church: “The marriage proclamation of Meije Jenties from Oudega and Eelck Hendrikx of Heegh was proclaimed on the 31st of July 1712 and they were married on the 14th of August 1712”. There are three sons born from this marriage. Hendrik, who was baptized in Heeg on the 11th of June 1713 and Jentje and Wybe, who are most likely around 1715 and 1717 born at Nijesyl. Meije Jenties lived as a farmer at Nijesyl, a neighbourhood not far from Oosthem.

Hendrik Meijes, the oldest son of Meije Jenties and Eelck Hendriks, married in Heeg on the 25th of May 1744 with Jetske Willems fro Terzool. A total of nine children were born from this marriage. Seven daughters and two sons. The two sons were named Meije and Willem by tradition, after the two grandfathers. Hendrik Meijes was farmer in Heeg and later in Idzega not far from Oudega (W).

Meije Hendriks, the eldest son of Hendrik Meijes and Jetske Willems, was born in Idzega on the 9th of April 1756. He married on the 5th of November 1786 in Heeg with Akke Baukes. They had a total of ten children of which three died very early in life. Meije Hendriks was a butcher by trade in Heeg.

During the French occupation, Napoleon’s civic-administration was declared. By imperial decree of the 18th of August 1811, everyone had to adopt a family name that was recorded in the register of family names. In the register of adopted family names, Wymbritseradeel 43/1, page 74, we see that on the 21st of December 1811, Meije Hendriks adopts the name “Slager” (Butcher). He signed the act with a cross, which shows us that he could not write. In that same act the living children, including their ages, are also mentioned: Beitske 24, Jetske 23, Hendrik 21, Boukje 19, Wytze 14, Bouke 11, and Durk 8.

The name “Slager” is, with the exception of the name-register, not seen anymore, but is changed into “van Slageren”. Four months after the adoption of the family name we see in the birth register of the municipality of Wymbritseradeel, that on the 11th of April 1812 the eldest daughter Beitske is recorded under the name “van Slageren”. Also in later years, in the marriage certificates of the children of Meije Hendriks and Akke Baukes, the name “van Slageren” is used without exception. Meije Hendriks died on the 1st of Februari 1826 in Heeg at the age of nearly 70. On his death certificate is the name “van Slageren”. Akke Baukes died in Heeg on 20 October of the same year at the age of 65.

Willem Hendriks, the only brother of Meije Hendriks, was born in Idzega on the 5th of February 1756 and baptized in the church of Oudega (W). He married the 9th of november 1794 in Gaastmeer to Tjitske Durks. After their marriage they went to live in Oudega (W) where they had two children. Hendrik and Jetske. In Januari 1799 Willem Hendriks died in Oudega (W). So before the compulsary name taking of 1811. Investigating which family name was used for Hendrik Willems, the grandson of Meije Hendriks, the following results came up.

Tjitske Durks, the widdow of Willem hendriks, remarried on the 5th of October 1800 in Oudega (W) with Durk Tammes. On 8 June 1809 they came, according to the membership registration of the church in Nijega-Elahuizen, with attestation from Oudega (W) to Nijega. Tjitske Durks adopted on 20 January 1812 for herself the family name “Dirks” and as mother and guardian of  her children Hendrik and Jetske she adopted the family name “Willemse”.     

For the rest the name “van Slageren” is unique. This means that all bearers of this family name are descendents of Meije Hendriks. For this genealogy the descendants of the four sons of Meije Hendriks: Hendrik, Wytze, Bauke and Durk are important. The branch of Bauke Meijes van Slageren died out on the male-side after the death in 1864 of his only and un-married son Meije Baukes.