Van
ArsdaleVan
ArsdaleSources:
The first copy of this letter and its translation was provided by Jo Ann Ramseyer , it is printed here with our "Thanks" to her. http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/r/a/m/Jo-A-Ramseyer/index.html
The second copy of this letter was provided by Charles R. Vanorsdale. Our "Thanks" go also to him. In a letter addressed to <[email protected]> he writes: "... the scanned image of Symon's 1698 letter to his brother, Joost Jansz van Aersdalen. ... This document is in a report from the Centraal Bureau voor Genealogie which summarizes their research, at that time (1991), on our family in Holland." In another e-mail letter Charles writes: "The letter photocopy quality was not very good to start with (I think the original letter was fairly discolored after 300 years) and Symon's handwriting is a bit shaky and crowded." http://www.familytreemaker.com/users/v/a/n/Charles-R-Vanorsdale/index.html
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(This translation was provided by JoAnn Ramseyer)
address: to the respectable and very modest Joost Jansen van Aerdsdalen living in the Egelantierstraat next to "De Gekroonde Roomolen" (name of a house) in Amsterdam.
"Praise the Lord above all, in the bay on September 9th, 1698. My kindest regards be written to my so much beloved brother and sister; I let you know I received your letter from Aendries Wandelaer and that I understand the contents of it, I am pleased to say, however, the accident your daughter has met with causes us sorrow, however, it is the work of God, that we ought to bear patiently; farther I let you know, that I, your brother, and my wife and children are in good health yet thank God for His grace and we hope to learn from you the same in due time; I wonder you didn't write about our niece; farther I let you know all my children are married and each of them is living in a farmhouse that earns their livelihood; I sold my farm to my eldest son Cornelis, 33 years of age, has got five cildren, three sons, two daughters; my son Jan, 22 years of age, has got two sons; my daughter Geertje has got eight children; Janneken has got five children; Mettegen has got three children; they are comfortably off but they have to work which God commanded Adam; as for me, your brother, I stopped working since I am 71 years old now, my wife is 58 years of age and you, my brother, are, if I remember rightly, 60 years of age; God be pleased to give us a blessed end; I am in receipt of your son Jan's drawing which pleases me very much; I gather from your letter your daughter's (size ?) causes you sorrow and I can well believe it and if I knew you would be pleased I would come to your assistance; please let me know; I do not know anything more to write; I will send this letter along with Pieter Berrij: he is our son Jan's nephew/cousin, who knows us very well; you can send your reply along with him; as for Dries Wandelaer: he is not acquainted with us and for this reason he cannot inform of us; God be with you and be saluted heartily by me, Sijmon Jansen van Arsdalen, your brother."
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