Abraham Portielje (1725-1790)

Abraham Portielje was baptized 2 Mar 1725 in the Westerkerk in Amsterdam, son of Pieter Portielje (dutch link) and his second wife Elisabeth van der Sloot. He is my husband’s 2nd cousin 7x removed. Two years to the day later a sister Aagje is baptized in the Oude Kerk.

Abraham married twice; and at their death of Abraham and both his wives are still living “behind the large meat market,” just like his father and his two wives (see Maria Martens).  Aagje married (as Agatha) in 1750 with Jan Engelgeer of Haarlem; they seem to have no children baptized in Amsterdam or Haarlem. One problem with the wiewaswie database, where the Haarlem baptisms would have to be found, is that it does not allow wildcard searching, unless you pay. But they don’t show up in Familysearch either.

In 1751 a brother of Aagje and Abraham registers his marriage to Christina Engelgeer in Amsterdam, but the marriage took place in Haarlem, and there are no witnesses listed. But they come back to Amsterdam, because they have 10 children baptized in Amsterdam. No Engelgeer is a sponsor.

An Aagje Portielje is a sponsor at the baptism of Pieter van Sprang, son of Frans van Sprang and Annetje Portielje, a slightly older sister of Abraham and Aagje. It is possible that the sister Aagje is also present; however, father Pieter also has a sister Aagje, who died in 1766, and so is still alive in 1748. While I can’t be sure, I think it is likely that Annetje’s aunt is the sponsor, not her sister, as her husband Jan Engelgeer is never a sponsor either. I know Haarlem records exist, as some Engelgeer show up in the appropriate time-frame in Haarlem, but Jan and Aagje are not among them.

I don’t know whether Jan and Christina are related, and they are actually so far removed in the family tree, that I should have better things to do. Okay, enough already 🙂