Translated new Pelmulder records from the Archives.

1. The sale of the farmstead of Jelle Jans and Anje Pieters on May 10, 1792:

To me, Harmen Amsingh, constituted Judge of Solwert [*and Utwierda] showed with this open, sealed Certificate(?)...[*unreadable] appeared Anje Pieters, widow of Klaas Onnes and now as far...[*unreadable] with her recent Spouse Jelle Jans, who confessed and declared...[*unreadable] to have sold under the signed sale certificate of 9 February 1792 and now by this in full property...[*To sale? Unreadable] to the Honourable Pieter Derks and Anna Jans Steenhuis, Married People, also appeared, declared to have accept a farmstead, containing a House and Barn, including the right of "beklemming" of about one and seventy "grazen" land, standing and situated in Solwert, with a yearly rent of one hundred thirty guilders as said:

About 23 ⁵/₇ "gras" [*land to pay the yearly "beklemming" of it] to the merchant Eelko Jan Wijk of 43 guilders, 13 stivers and 2 doits [*often written as 43 - 13 - 2].

- About 5 ⁶/₇ "gras" to Ewoud(?) Tokkes [*or Fokkes?] of 10 guilders, 18 stivers and 3 doits [*10 - 18 - 3].

- About 5 ⁶/₇ "gras" to Meindert Geerts of 10 guilders, 18 stivers and 2 doits.

- About 5 ⁶/₇ "gras" to Jacob Harms as guardian of the under-aged children of the deceased Geert Onnes, by marriage born to him and Lijsabeth Meinders of 10 guilders, 18 stivers and 3 doits.

- And about 5 ⁶/₇ "gras" to the mentioned cattle merchant [*Eelko Jan Wijk] of 10 guilders, 18 stivers and 3 doits.

- At last about 23 ⁵/₇ "gras" to Henrikus Schenkel, as guardian of the under-aged little son of the deceased Klaas Onnes in his marriage to Anje Pieters of 43 guilders, 13 stivers and 2 doits.

Containing the sum total of 131 guilders, which has to pay for the first time on Midwinter 1792 and than yearly on...[*unreadable] .............................. which is protected from the "het zes-jarig Geschenk" [*literally it means "the six years Gift", but what it means here??]...etc., etc....

And in this way this is sold and by the buyers already with pleasure accepted for the sum total of 6300 guilders, six thousand and three hundred guilders, to pay in three parts, as the "Halfscheid" [*the Half] during the acceptation, a fourth part [*25%] on 1 May 1793 and the last fourth part [*25%] on 1 May 1794, which certificate of property only will be obtained when the whole sale's amount will be paid and satisfied.

At the same time the Sellers [*Anje Pieters and Jelle Jans] declare that they have received the Half of a sum total of 3150 guilders, without...[*unreadable and not important].

At the end is yet ordered that the recent Sellers by Paternal Settlement will...[*unreadable- they mean paid or reserved?] to Hinrik Schenkel and Others(?) as Guardians of the under-aged 'voorkind' [*which means literally "before-child", that must be her son Onne [*Klasen] born in her former marriage with Klaas Onnes] of the female Seller [*Anje Pieters], like is registered in the Certificate [*the Marriage Contract between Anje Pieters and Klaas Onnes] of 8 December 1780 a Heritage(?) of the sum total of 2000 guilders till the child's adulthood...........etc., etc.

Also made and signed...etc., etc....10 May 1792.

[*Note Albert Geurink: This Judge had a real "rotten" handwriting, so this certificate was hard to read and write out. This sale of the former farmstead of Anje Pieters and Jelle Jans in Solwerd was made a day after their purchase of the windmill in Opwierde for 9000 guilders and their loan of 500 guilders of Albert Stoffers and Aaltje Hemmes. Anje Pieters and Jelle Jans got 50% of the sale of their farmstead - which means 3150 guilders - but had to pay also 50% of the purchase of the windmill of 4500 guilders. Anje and Jelle had to pay extra 4500 - 3150 - 500 = 850 guilders! (According that they had to pay the inheritance of their (step)son Onne Klasen of 2000 guilders at the same time to his guardians. But if they had, they needed even 2860 guilders cash money!) But the marriage contract is talking about 200 guilders to pay to the heirs of the (deceased) bridegroom Klaas Onnes and here 2000 guilders? That means that I've to check those amounts again, what's written: 200 or 2000! In the first case Anje Pieter's and Jelle Jans had to pay extra 850 + 200 = 1050 guilders, in the second case 2850 guilders, which was a very huge amount in those days!). Take also notice that Anje Pieters is mentioned here before her spouse Jelle Jans, as the legal female(!) owner and/or heir of this farmstead, very unusual in those "male" days].

2. Summarized sale of 5 "grazen" land in Biessum of the widow Aaltje Jacobs to the church-warden Cornellis Pieters and wife Auke Willems, 10 May 1793:

To me, Harms Amsingh etc., etc appeared Aaltje Jacobs, as legitimate female guardian of her under-aged Son from the marriage of her deceased spouse Roelf Rotgers and his deceased wife Aaltje Jans, and Jan Derks as witness and Jelle Jans, as family guardian and Jan Obbes as "out-side" guardian, plus Andries Hindriks, as witness Jelle Jans, as family guardian and Jan Obbes, as the "out-side" guardian of the under-aged Daughter of her before-said, deceased spouse Roelf Rotgers and his deceased [*second] wife Trijntje Andries, authorized by the Sale Certificate on 14 March 1792(?) to have sold the property of 5 "grazen" land in Byssum [*now called Biessum] to the church-warden Cornellis Pieters(?) and Auke Willems, Married People in Byssum, situated under the Jurisdiction of Uitwierda, neighboring in the north to the land of Anna Roelfs, in the East to the "Lijkweg" [*means literally "Corpse Road"], in the South the "Heereweg" [*literally the "Gentlemen's Road"] and to the West the female Seller Roelfs...etc., etc.,........

Made and signed by me , 10 May 1793.

3. On the same day 10 May 1793 with the same sellers (including Jelle Jans) and the purchasers Meindert Koones(?) and wife Mertje Fokkes [*summarized]:

............................. according to the Sale Certificate on 14 March 1793 [the before-said persons] have sold 5 "grazen" land, situated in Byssum to Meindert Koones(?) and wife Mertje Fokkes for a sum total of 820 guilders of which the Appeared declared already to have received the first part to 410 guilders...etc., etc.

Made and signed etc .............. 10 May 1793.

4. Dito the 11 May 1793 the same sellers sold to Andries Hindriks 4 "grazen" land in Byssum for a sum total of 656 guilders.

5. The inheritage of a farmstead with 28 "grazen" land on 24 October 1788 of the widower Roelf Rotgers and his son after the death of his first wife Aaltje Jans, with the appearers Jan Derks, as witness Jelle Jans as family guardian and Jan Obbes as "out-side" guardian [*Not transcribed (yet)].

6. Dito 17 February 1791 after the death of Roelf Rotgers' second wife Trijntje Andries, also in company of the same appearers, like Jelle Jans. [*Not transcribed (yet)].

7. The purchase of 9 "grazen" land in Opwierda by Jelle Jans and Anje Pieters on 15 May 1800:

Hindrik van Weerden, from the "Bataafschen Volksregter" [*(means "from the Judge of the "Bataafsche" "Republic") the name of the Netherlands after the French occupation] of Solwert cum annexis declare with this sealed certificate that to me appeared Hindrik Hielkes and Lammegien Doffing, Married People from Tuitwert, who confessed and declared to have sold, registered and handed over to Jelle Jans and Anje Pieters, Married People, in Opwierda, accepting the sale of nine "grazen" land, situated under the "Schatregister" of Opwierda, containing two parts between [*the river] "Het Diep" [*later called "Het Damsterdiep"] and the road, with the neighbors, in the North the widow of G. Geerts and [*the river] "De Deg", in the East to Derk Jans and in the South the "Damsterweg" [*means "Damster Road"] and in the West the widow of Geert Geerts, with all his assets and liabilities, etc., for the sum total of eighteen hundred car. Guilders or 1800 = , =, =. Of which the sellers declared they have received it all in the full possession of the sold...etc. etc....and is certificated by my Seal and with the signature of my name, confirmed in Solwert. The 15-th May 1800.

Was signed Dr H. van Weerden, Judge.

8. The sale of the farmstead near the harbor Delfzijl on 5 December 1788 from the heirs of the deceased Homme Jacobs (father-in-law of Albert Stoffers) to Jacob Hibberts(?) of 6146 guilders:

To me, Harmen Amsingh, Judge of [*unreadable: must be Solwert], Lord of [*the town] Stedurn and neigboring villages and constituted Judge of Solwert declare that appeared to me Trijntje Pieters, widow of the deceased Homme Jacobs, including Jacob Hommes, Albert Stoffers, for himself and his House-wife Aaltje Hommes, Gepke Hommes, in company of her Spouse Jan Pieters, plus Cornellis Pieters, as Witness, Derk Jacobs, as Family guardian of the two under-aged children of the deceased Homme Jacobs and his deceased wife Martje Jacobs, born to their Marriage, like before is authorized and certificated on 15 July 1788, to have sold the "mandelijke" [*old Dutch for "common"] Farmstead, standing and situated in Delfzijl, on the "Oude Dijk" [* means "Old Dyke"], under the "Schatregister" [*means during this French occupation something like "municipality"] of Uitwierda, containing an inside-house, A Middle-house and a Frisian Barn, with all the (im)movables in it, plus the "beklemming" of about 68¾ "grazen", green and arable land [*that means that "grazen" land not always were meadows, / do you agree?], of which 62¾ "grazen" land have a yearly rent of 120 guilders, to be payed to Beerend Jans and 5 "grazen" yearly to the Society with the motto "Tot Steun des Ouderdoms" [*"Till Support of the Old ages"] 40 guilders as rent, neighboring in the north to the "Dijk" [*"Dyke"], to the East the "gracht" [*"canal"] of Delfzijl, to the South the Heirs of the Lord Clock Romke Cornellis and Jan Eppes, "meyers wijzen"(??) [*Unreadable] and to the West the "Provincielaan" [* the "Provincial Avenue"] and this farmstead is with all the assists and liabilities...etc., etc....sold for the sum total of six thousand one hundred and forty-five guilders, 6145 guilders, of which sale's amount the sellers declared to have received the "Halfscheid" [*the Half] 3072 guilders and 16 stivers and the rest to have been paid in two parts [*of 25% I guess?], 1 May 1789 and 1 May 1790. Etc., etc ......................

9. The explanation of the biggest (Van Dale) Dutch dictionary of the old Dutch word "gras" or "grazen":

"Surface measure for 'grasland' [*means 'meadows'] of about 0,5 hectare or 0,4 'morgen'; synonymous 'geers' (or also, written as 'gaers' or 'gras'), meaning a land measure, mostly one-third of a 'morgen'."

10. The sale on 27 September 1776 by Claas Onnes and his mother(?) [*must be his wife!] Anje Pieters of a house(bakery) in the "Landstraat" of the "fort." [*"fortification"] Delfzijl to Jannes Freriks and his bride Aagtje Cornelis [*Will be transcribed in a later Archives visit(s)].

11. Some accounts from the Cashbook of the church of Solwerd between 1787 and 1793:

- 21 May 1787. Jelle Jans, the church-warden of the Solwerd church; colleague church-warden P. Stiphout (or Jan Pieters Stiphout).

-The before-said Amounts [*of church-warden Jelle Jans] of the Years 1791, 1792 and 1793 are checked and "c. s. bevonden" [*means probably "are okay"] The Real income of the Amounts contain four hundred and forty two guilders, three stivers and 2 doits, or 442 - 3 - 2. Being Jelle Jans appointed to book-keeping church-warden. Thus received and closed in the Rectory-house on Monday, the first December 1794.
          J Stip.           D. Alberda.

- 29 October 1794: Because the Honourable Jelle Jans has moved from Solwert with ...[*unreadable] his "Domicilie or Dominee"(?) [Domicile or Minister?]...requested, those Results are examined by me, as "Coltatex" (??) and approved okay. Being deducted the expenses from the incomes....[*untranslatable] a [*positive] sum total rested of three hundred guilders, seventeen stivers and two doits, which sum is handed over to and kept by the [*next] church-warden Jan Pieters Spithout for the "decharge" of the H.[*onourable] Jelle Jans, who will be thanked by this occasion for his care and well book-keeping. Solwert, the 29-th October 1794. Jan Pieters Spithout Goula....[*unreadable rest]

- Note Albert Geurink: More's the pity the Groningen Archives don't allow for safely making copies of that well readable and good looking handwriting of Jelle Jans! Maybe I'll take extra pictures once of those papers (only allowed with a normal (reflex) camera, but without using flash-lights!)? After the departure of Jelle Jans the church-wardens started to write the income at the left page and the expenses at the right page, where Jelle Jans and his predesessors wrote the church expenses at the end of this cash-book (turning this book 180 degrees).

- Expenses 17 September 1780, wrote by Jelle Jans:

• Paid to Jan Jans, by vacancy of the sexton's job, for his performance in the Church service...........12 stivers
• 27 June 1788. For the cleaning of the church ....... 1 guilder, 2 stivers
• For a half book writing paper for the Amounts of the church...............3 stivers
• For the cargo of the church books to Groningen [*by a tow-boat?]..................... 4 stivers
• 21 November 1791: a visit to Groningen to show the cash books over 3 years to the Lords of the Deputed States [*of the province Groningen]. travel costs [*by tow-boat?] .............. 2 guilders 10 stivers
• 16 December 1791: for sweeping out the church..............6 stivers

12. The inheritance of the deceased Stoffer Berents of a farmstead and 52 "grazen" land in Jukwert and 6 "grazen" land in Marsum on 24 January 1787 to his widow Aaltje Derks and her step-son Albert Stoffers and his wife. [*Has to be done yet).

13. No records or accounts found about Jelle Jans in the ship sales of Appingedam (before 1800). [Maybe we will be more lucky in the records of Delfzijl???]

14. Available divisions of properties before 1800: -

The inheritance of the deceased Rotger Roelfs on 1 December 1752 to his widow Jantje Derks [*mother of Anje Pieters] and the guardians of their under-aged child. Dito of the deceased Martje Wolters on 22 March 1765, married -before to the deceased Jan Beerents (an uncle of Albert Stoffers).

Dito of the deceased Jan Harms on 13 November 1777 to his widow Aaltje Jans and the guardians of their under-aged children (she remarried to Roelf Rotgers) of a Farmstead with House and Frisian Barn and 22 "grazen beklemd" land.

Dito of the deceased Jan Beerents, on 29 October 1779 to his widow Asseltje Thomas and the guardians of their 4 under-aged children of a Farmstead with 34¾ "grazen beklemd" land in Uitwierda.

Dito of the deceased Klaas Onnes on 8 December 1780 to his widow Anje Pieters and the guardians of their under-aged son [*Onne] of a Farmstead.

Dito of the deceased Roelf Jacobs on 13 July 1784 to his widow Anje Pieters and the guardians of their under-aged child [*Pieter Roelfs Mulder] of a Farmstead, with Inside-house and Frisian Barn and 71 "grazen beklem" land.

Dito of the deceased Jacob Geerts to his widow Aafje Albers uncle and aunt of Anje Pieters] and the guardians of their daughter of a Farmstead, with inside house and Frisian Barn and 48 "grazen bekem" land.

Dito of the deceased Aaltje Jans on 6 March 1788 to her widower Roelf Rotgers and the guardians of the under-aged "before-child" of Aaltje Jans and Jan Harms of a Farmstead with 25 "grazen beklemd" land.

Dito of the deceased Aaltje Jans on 24 October 1788 to the widower Roelf Rotgers and the guardians of the under-aged son of Aaltje Jans and Roelf Rotgers Of a Farmstead with 25 "grazen beklemd" land.

Dito of the deceased Trijntje Andries on 17 February 1791 to her widower Roelf Rotgers and the guardians of the under-aged daughter of __________, a Farmstead with 25 "grazen beklemd" land.

Dito of the deceased Roelf Rotgers of 6 June 1793 to his widow Aaltje Jans, the guardians of the under-aged son of Aaltje Jacobs and Roelf Rotgers, dito of the under-aged son of Aaltje Jans and Roelf Rotgers and dito of the under-aged daughter of Trijntje Andries and Roelf Rotgers of a Farmstead with 25 "grazer beklemd" land in Biessum.

Dito of the deceased Roelf Rotgers on 29 November 1793 about a Farmstead with 25 "grazen beklemd" land.

Available loan certificates, like:

A loan from Stoffer Beerents in 1763 [*not dated], as guardian of the "innocent person" Grietje Jans, to the Reformed minister of Solwert, rev. Edward Sissingh.

Dito of the Solwert church deacon Jelle Jans on 19 April 1787 to [*his later(?) colleague] Jan Pieter Spithout.

Dito of Jan Derks on 17 May, 1794, guardian of the under-aged son of Roelf Rotgers and Aaltje Jans to Jelle Jans in Opwierda.

Dito of the guardians of the under-aged child of Roelf Rotgers and Trijntje Andries on 28 May 1799 to Otte Jurgens and Harmina Hindriks of the sold "beklemming" f 5 "grazen" good green land, with a yearly rent of 16 guilders for a sum total of 569 guilders.

Dito of the elders H. Smit and J. Willems and the deacons H. Broos and Jelle Jans of the Opwierda church on 23 December 1799 of 300 car. Guilders to Roelf Pieters Kraan and Grietje Harms in Appingedam, with a house near the "Zandster" Bridge as guarantee.

Dito Jelle Jans as guardian [*with others] of Arendje Jacobs, daughter of the deceased Jacob Geerts and Aafke Alberts [*uncle and aunt of Anje Pieters] on 21 January 1800 a loan of 600 car. Guilders (contains 462 guilders and 10 stivers as the rest of a loan according the sale of a house to Jochem Jans (see also the certificate of 12 Sept. 1798) and 37 guilders and 10 stivers as the rest [*Note: 20 stivers is one guilder (20 x 5 cents)].

Dito a loan of 300 car. guilders by the deacons Jelle Jans Mulder [*Note: he used here already his new surname "Mulder", although it wasn't ordered yet by the French occupiers!!] and Hendrik Popkes of the Opwierda church on 15 May 1801 to the physician Mecco Bondsema and Trijntje Oosterhout in Appingedam.

Transcription and translation: Albert Geurink. Date: Wednesday October 27, 2004.

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