Jantien Haan (1799-1877)

Jantien was baptized on 6 Feb 1799 in the A-Kerk in Groningen, daughter and fifth child of Berent Hindriks (dutch link) and Antje Albers. She is my third great-grandaunt. All children were baptized without last names; only after the start of civil registration in 1811 do they regularly use the surname Haan or de Haan.

The parents were skippers, all known children were born in their parents’ ship. They probably transported peat from the Pekela’s to Groningen, as so many people did (see also here) Jantien’s mother came from Oude Pekela, and I have her parents and her maternal grandparents; Jantien is named after her maternal grandmother, as one might expect.  But Berent’s parents are still a mystery, even though we might have a clue to his mother’s name.

The parents follow the naming rules to the letter: Hendrik for Berent’s father, Aaltje for Antje’s mother, Albert for Antje’s father, Elsje, most likely for Berent’s mother, then Jantien for Antje’s grandmother. I have however not been able to find any Berent, as son of Hendrik and Elsje (or some similar names)

Jantien married Tobias Mulder, and they have six children: Jan Tobias (his father), Berend (her father), Albert (her maternal grandmother, Martinus, Johannes and Antje (either his or her mother).

Another clue might come from the fact that both Jantien and her brother Hendrik name a child Martinus; however the other two siblings don’t, so it might be just coincidence. There don’t seem to be any marriage contracts or sales contracts to help with this, at least not online.

It would be nice to find a contract for the ship, in addition to more information about Berent’s parents. Other families take the name (de) Haan as well, are they related, or is that another coincidence? Lots of research is left to do, and hoping that more will come online.