Gerard Cramer (1794-1875)

Today is the birthday of Gerard Cramer (dutch link), born 15 Jan 1794 in Alkmaar, The Netherlands. He was the second son of Godfried Cramer and Willemina Ladiges, and was named after her father. He is my husband’s third great-grandfather.

His parents married in Alkmaar (with banns also in Amsterdam), but it is unclear why they are there, both were born in Amsterdam, but Godfried was living in Alkmaar at the time. Their first four children were born in Alkmaar, but before 1798 they are back in Amsterdam, as the rest of their children was born and baptized there.

Gerard’s father was a plumber, but Gerard became a wall-paperer, and must have had a successful business; two of his sons continued it after his retirement. Gerard was present at the marriage of his three sons, as well as at the births of many of his grandchildren.

In Amsterdam we can find many of the places he lived in the ‘Bevolkings Registers.’ These were first organized by street address, with cross-references and dates people moved. They start in 1852-53. Gerard lived then at the Groeneburgwal 67, with his wife, and the youngest three children. The house number changed in 1853 to 346. In the next set (1853-1863) they still live there for a while (minus son Christoffel, who moved in 1854 to his own house), then moved to the Spiegelstraat 34; his oldest son Gerard had moved next door at #35. He died in the Spiegelstraat in 1875; the number listed in the death certificate is #25. He does not seem to be listed in the 1871-1893 registers (and 1863-1873 is not online). However, they are not easy to go though online; and I have quite a bit of research coming if I want to find all his addresses in the proper order. And there is so much else to do.