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I wanted to share this family photo of Godefridus Wilhelmus van Agthoven with the community. Location: Den Haag. Date: The date the photo is taken is 28 Sept. 1869 at the occasion of the 33th birthday of his wife Elisabeth Thijssen. Godefridus is sitting there with his eldest son, not realising that he will be the ancestor of all the now living members of the "van Agthoven" family (including those in Zeeland and the USA). In 2020 he has 196 descendants. He himself was the son of the only son of his grandfather Jan van Agthoven. They were the only surviving van Agthovens in 1829 after 200 years carrying that familyname. Godefridus got 3 sons: the 3 branches of the family. His brother got 3 daughters. It showed to me how easily a familyname can disappear from history, but also how the tree can grow again in abundance. It is his only (and early) photo we have of him. His son is dressed as a russian child, his godmother being named Anna Palowna, after the wife of king William II, sister of the russian tzar. Godefridus was printer in the "Landsdrukkerij" in Den Haag, starting when he was 14 years old. His late father was musician in the First Regiment Infantry. Click here for the image details page or here for the full-sized version (1273 x 2142).
