Family Tree – Amersfoort (Doesburg)

Introduction

This is a family tree Van Dorssen with a reasonable size today and an interesting background. The ancestor went at the end of the 17th century from Doesburg to Amersfoort and until the early 18th century they used the name Van Dorsten. However, afterwards it became gradually Van Dorssen. There came three different Van Dorstens in the same period to Amersfoort, presumably they were related to each other.

Ancestor Analysis

There are late 17th century/early 18th century three (possible) ancestors who come to Amersfoort in the same period and presumably (at least 2 of the 3) are related with each other.

1.  Jan van Dorsten and his wife Jannetje come from Doesburg and register in 1688 as limb. Before that, they already have a few children in Doesburg, they also get some children in Amersfoort. This is the ancestor of the branches that still exist.
2.  Jacobus van Dorsten (military) marries in 1698 in Utrecht with Magdalena Cluijtman and going to live in Amersfoort and gets there children. He remarried in 1701 in Veenendaal (banns in Amersfoort) with Maria Gijsberts and gets with her some more children in Veenendaal.
3. Willem van Dorste from Barneveld gets married in 1729 with Jannitje Geurts in Amersfoort and Peter Gerritsen van Dorsten from Barneveld (widower) marries in 1745 with Marijtje Arris van Grootveld in Amersfoort. Both turn out to be from the same father, Gerrit Petersen, who in 1701 in Barneveld is married to Jantje Willems from Doorn. He comes from Laar in Münsterland which lies just across the German border near Neuenhaus!

There are also the following starting points and observations:

• Jan van Dorsten and his wife Jannetje Jacobs Kunnemans:
  • They get children in Amersfoort in 1674, 1679, 1680, 1683, 1686 and 1688. However, the marriage is not found, while these data are present (so probably not closed here). At birth he is called Jan van Dorsten, a number of names are used for her, stating that her full name Jannetje Jacobs Kunnemans is (with name variants).
  • The name Kunnemans (also Cuenemans or Ceunenmans) doesn’t appear often in the Netherlands. In Doesburg Jan van Dorsten and Jantien Kunnemans got children in 1668, 1669 (both Coenraet) and 1672 (Jacobus). After detailed analysis there Jantien can only be from one father and his name is Jacob. This cannot be a coincidence. They will then presumably be married so around 1667 (wedding data not present). Doesburg was a garrison town, so chances are that this has been a soldier. From 1672 to 1679 was the Franco-Dutch war in which the Bishop of Münster conquered this whole area (up to the IJssel and passed it) by 1672-1674. Presumably they are therefore fled to Amersfoort.
  • In Doesburg was also a Jan Gerrits (and for one of the kids with Jan Gerrits van Dorsten), which together with Geertruijt Willems got children in 1658, 1660, 1663 and 1665. The expectation was therefore that this was an earlier marriage (and his father would be Gerrit), but it seems that also in 1669 they got a child (Jan Gerrits with Geertruijt Willemsen) and in that case that should be another Jan van Dorsten. But the chance is higher that this was a new combination of parents.
  • With the first child in Amersfoort the surname is Dortsz (but phonetically almost Dorsten) and only the father recorded. This must be the same. There is a possible earlier Jan van Dorsten in Amersfoort, but that’s 20 years earlier and with nothing else recorded.
  • If the Jan (Gerrits) van Dorsten in Doesburg is the same as the one which later married with Jantien, then there are two possible Gerrit origins known: Gerrit from Frans van Dorsten in Doetinchem (military) and a Gerrit Jansen in Harderwijk (but he already died in 1649).
• Jacobus Jansz van Dorsten marries in 1698 (as a soldier) in Utrecht, but lives the following years in Amersfoort and get two children. After a few years he marries again (1701) in Veenendaal (banns Amersfoort).
  • His first son is called Coenraet (in Veenendaal), an unusual name, but also the name of a son in Doesburg. Then this almost must be the same as Jacobus in Doesburg and a son of Jan. In that case he is 26 in his first marriage.
  • This would, however, may indicate that the father of Jan could be Coenraet (or from the mother).
  • The only Coenraet van Dorsten found elsewhere in the Netherlands is one in Den Bosch who died in 1650 (perhaps ancestor, but not father) and one who was born in 1656 in Nijmegen (last of 4 children of father Jan Hendricksz from 1638).
• Willem Gerrits van Dorsten and Peter Gerrits van Dorsten:
  • Willem Gerrits van Dorste from Barneveld gets married in 1729 with Jannitje Geurts in Amersfoort.
  • Peter Gerritsen van Dorsten from Barneveld (widower) marries in 1745 with Marijtje Arris van Grootveld in Amersfoort. He turns out to be already married in 1731 in Barneveld with Sijtjen Rijcks.
  • Both turn out after individual analysis to be from the same father (brothers), Gerrit Petersen, who married in 1701 in Barneveld with Jantje Willems from Doorn. He comes from Laar in Münsterland. There is only one Laar known and that lies just across the German border near Neuenhaus downstream to the Overijsselse Vecht!
  • The foregoing indicates a relationship with the Neuenhaus family tree. The only Peter now known and relevant, is the one that married in 1675 with Styne Votteler (she died in 1690 and he remarried in 1691 in Neuenhaus). Perhaps they lived in Laar.
• Until about 1730 almost always the name Van Dorsten was used, only then Dorssen. This started especially with Hendrik (phonetic notification of the children), but both his marriages (in that time more reliable, was controlled by declarant), were both still with Dorsten. He proceeded the tribe and for his children it became Dorssen.
• It would be strong as there is no relationship between the three branches that at the end of the 17th century came to the region of Amersfoort/Barneveld. With Jan and Jacobus it is there, with the sons of Gerrit it’s unclear.
• There is (still) no relationship discovered with two separate notifications of Van Dorsten in mid-17th century:
  • Jan Jansz van Dorsten registered in 1651 as limb. Furthermore, nothing found, perhaps equal to the next.
  • Jan Janssen van Dorsten registered in 1664 as limb together with his wife Aeltien Geerlofs. However, they are already married in 1650 and have a daughter in 1656. The registration is with certificate to Leiden and since she is from Amersfoort, this should be for him. There are a variety of Van Dorsten in Leiden, but no Jan Jansen. The only related one is from Kampen in 1653 which had to collect money at the VOC in Leiden for his brother.

Further Analysis

The information is collected on the basis of BDM data (especially to 1811), the family tree site of Piet van Dorssen (especially after the start of the civil status) and several archives. All information is combined, controlled and further supplemented. In addition, there are the following findings:

• The branch of Jacobus Jansz (as described under ascentor) is a dead end in Veenendaal (no descendants).
• There is also a reasonable branch early 18th century which ends in Amsterdam.
• As well dead end branches for the two sons of Gerrit (ascentor), although those of William is larger, and perhaps provides opportunities (eg. VOC abroad).
• What happened to the descendants of Anthonie who went to Alkmaar (with Cornelia van Beek)?
• There is a Peter born in 1688 (the last child of Jan and Jannetje). In 1732 a Rijck was born in Achterveld, son of Jan Peters van Dorsten. Could that be a son of this Peter?
• The name is usually written (civil status) with double ‘ ss ‘, only a few times it was written with a single ’s ‘ (particularly between 1800 and 1900), only the branch of Henry from 1767 also really went by as Dorsen with 1 ’s ‘ (mainly in Huizen). This is now probably extinct.

Sources and Do You Know

There are some interesting facts about the references in the archives:

• A reference in 1663 on the sale of a House by Jan Jansz van Dorsten (before the ascentor).
• There are a few reports in Alkmaar (from William Gerrits and Anthonie).
• There are a few VOC reports of descendants who went boating.
• Joannes (1704) was sailing a lot (eg from 1723-1730 and either in 1741 outside the Netherlands).
• Many were in the first half of the 19th century weaver (men) or spinner (women).
• During the same period there were in the branch of Willem Gerrits p0retty what ‘onegte’ (not real) children born (not by husband or not married at all).
• At the end of the 18th century different descendants had known public functions:
  • Johannes (1731) is appointed as a carrier in the Guild (1760) and is also about 22 years in the City Council.
  • Hendrik (1763) has been appointed as carrier in the Guild (1788).
  • Gerrit (1747) has been appointed as clapper (1788) of the city.
• Gerrit (1863) and descendants were cigar maker and had a cigar factory.
• Johanna Alberta (1904) got in 1969 the Medal of order of Orange-Nassau.

Actual Status

You can find this family tree more detailed on Geneanet, especially for the more actual data. The part before 1800, however, has been more detailed here.

• Geneanet – Piet van Dorssen

Below is an overview of the stock series with name-bearing descendants. Further details are best viewed on the Geneanet site.