Stuck on my Belgian (?) roots...

Question

Stuck on my Belgian (?) roots...

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Hello everyone!

I have been stuck on my couple of Belgian ancestors.

I only have 2 or 3 couples I know of, and would like to try and break my Belgian brick walls.

First up is Charlotte / Charlotta Daniels. She was believed to have been born in Namur in 1760 to a Peter Daniels. She married Theodorus Mulder (when?) and died in 1838 in Nijmegen. This is my first brick wall.

Next up is Catharina Paulissen or Marie Catherine Paulissen. I have recently found her birth / baptism to a Petri / Petrus Paulissen and a Lucie Bren(c)kman(s) in 1773, in Veldwezelt along with a few siblings. I also found a potential set of parents for Petri, by the name of Gerardus Paulissen and Barbara Geelen, and if this is correct, then Petrus was born in 1750, also in Veldwezelt.

But my main brick wall: Guillaume / Wilhelmus Frans(s)en, my earliest paternal ancestor. He died in 1803 in Maastricht, with his birthdate being estimated around 1733 or 1734, and his birthplace being listed as Vroenhoven. Unfortunately, the baptisms are missing for this period. His wife was Anne Elisabeth Paulissen (no info known on her, may or may not be Belgian) and his parents were Marie van den Broek and Guillaume Frans(s)en. They are only known from their son's death record in 1803.

After much searching, I have still been unable to find very much on these people, and am starting to get a little bit frustrated with the gaps in my tree! I know not to give up, but I am so stuck!!!

Any help, or even if people could just investigate, would be much appreciated.

Thank you and good night from New Zealand!

Alex Fransen

P.S. - Other IDs are Paulissen-16 and Fransen-258.

WikiTree profile: Charlotte Daniels

asked May 4, 2021 in Genealogy Help by Alex Fransen G2G6 Mach 4 (41.2k points)

4 Answers

Best answer

Familysearch states that the death registration of Guillaume Franssen has the remark "wdnr". No image though. This could mean that he was a widower (weduwenaar). If so, Anne Elisabeth Paulissen died before 17 July 1803. Unfortunately one has to visit the archives to view the document. (Have found that she died 16 November 1791, see below)

Found extracts of certificates regarding a.o. Guillaume Franssen as addenda to the marriage papers of his son Mathias. Marriage addendum Mathias Paulissen. It is in French and the important things are:

l'an onze = year 11 of the French Republic which ran from 23 september 1802 to 23 september 1803.

Acte: Du vingt neuvieme jour de mois de messidor, an onze de la Republique, a six heures & demi du matin = the 29^th day in the harvest month in year 11 of the Republic at half past six in the morning.

Death: decede hier a cinq heures de matin = died yesterday at 5 in the morning. Yesterday means 28^th day of the harvest month which was 18 July 1803. Aged 69 so born in 1734.

Veuf d'Elisabeth Paulissen = widower of Elisabeth Paulissen (so died before 18 July 1803)

Fils de feus Guillaume Franssen & de Marie vandenbroek = son of late? Guillaume & Marie

Declaration … par... Guillaume Franssen, age de quarante deux ans.... So the death was declared by his son Guillaume Franssen aged 42 (born in 1761), living in Maastricht, brewer's boy and Martin Zeegers, 69, friend of the deceased.

It also includes an extract of the burial registration of Elisabeth Paulissen which states in French that she was buried on 16 November 1791 in the Parish of St. Nicolas, Maastricht, the spouse of Guillaume Franssen.

It furthermore includes an extract of the burial registration of (his father) Guillaume Fransen which states again in French that he was buried on 14 November 1763 in the church of St Nicolas, Maastricht.

Another extract of burial states that Marie van der Broek was buried on 21 December 1772 in the Church of St Jacques, Maastricht. It is stated that she was from “Rue de Congres”

Extract of burial of Jean Paulissen on 13 October 1749 in the Church of “Peres Dominicains” in Maastricht. Father of Elisabeth Paulissen.

Extract of burial of Judith Daemen, widow of Jean Pierre Paulussen on 13 March 1765 in the Church. Mother of Elisabeth Paulissen.

Extract of baptismal register of the commune of Veldweselt which states that Catharine, legitimate daughter of Pierre Paulissen and Lucie Brenkmans, was baptised on 12 November 1773.

Also a certificate in French which states that Cecile Bringmans (Lucie Brenkmans) died at home at the age of 54 on the 5^th of Messidor in year 6 of the Republic which should be 23 June 1798. So born about 1744. Declaration was done by Pierre Paulissen, daylabourer, aged 57 and Hubert Kerkhof, cultivater, aged 33. Pierre is the husband and Hubert a neighbour.

Conclusion:

Guillaume Fransen I: burial: 14 November 1763 in Maastricht

Guillaume Fransen II: birth 1734; death: 18 July 1803, aged 69

Guillaume Fransen III: birth: 1761 based on age of 42 in 1803

Elisabeth Paulissen: burial: 16 november 1791

Marie van der Broek: burial: 21 December 1772

Catharine Paulissen: baptism: 12 November 1773, daughter of

Pierre Paulissen: birth 1741 based on 57 in 1798 and

Cecile/Lucie Brenkmans: birth: 1744 death: 23 June 1798

Elisabeth Paulissen:

Jean Paulissen: burial 13 October 1749 and

Judith Daemen, widow of Jean Pierre Paulissen: burial: 13 March 1765.

It seems that Jean (Pierre) Paulissen (died 1749) & Judith Daemen (died 1765) are the parents of Elisabeth Paulissen. They are both buried in Maastricht (not veldwezelt) and the documents are signed by Mathias Fransen.

This website about Jan Paulissen has some interesting info. It states that the brewery in Maastricht is mentioned in the beginning of the 13th century as the "St. Nicolaas Panhuis" and that it continued to operate until its closure in 1946 making it the oldest beerbrewery of the Netherlands. It is situated in the oldest neighbourhood of Maastricht on the North side of het "Onze Lieve Vrouweplein". Foundations of the western city wall and the old castellum are underneath the old brewery. .....

The brewery was owned by husband and wife Louis Caris and Isabella Lenaerts. They stopped in 1731 and sold "a house with brewery, stables, garden and a klotsbaan (bowling alley)" to Jan Paulissen who was married to Judth Daemen. Paulissen died in 1745 and his wife Judith continues the brewery until her death in 1765. Her daughter Maria Margaretha inherits the premises. In 1803 it is stated that Guillaume Fransen, aged 42, was a brewer...

I have not been able to find the original source of this info yet. The brewery can be seen on scale model of Maastricht.

It seems that Elisabeth Paulissen had two sisters Maria Margaretha and Maria Cornelia.

Steambrewery Eugene Marres states that Joannes Paulussen bought the brewery at auction on 9 November 1730.

Brewery Het Nieuwe Stenen Huis states that Maria Cornelia Paulissen, daughter of Peter Paulissen and Judith Damen married Servaes Marres and that she inherited Brewery "De Deken" in the St. Pieterstraat which was renamed "Het Nieuwe Stenen Huis". The other daughter Maria Margaretha, married Nicolaas Nypels and inherits brewery "St. Nicolaas Panhuis" in the "Plankstraat".

Servatius Marres & his wife Maria Magdalena Fransen were witnesses at the baptism on 11-11-1775 of Servatius Martin Fransen, son of Wilhem Fransen & Anne Elisabeth Paulissen

What did daughter Elisabeth inherit ? We do know that her husband Guillaume was a brewer in 1803..

answered May 4, 2021 by Remko Stift G2G6 Mach 2 (24.7k points)
edited May 6, 2021 by Remko Stift

Hello again!

Just working on the translation, and on image No. 18 of 3221 on the huwelijksbijlagen, at the top, is listed where the extract of the baptism of Catherine Paulissen came from, but translating doesn't quite add up.

Here is my transcription of that section so far (may not be 100% as this is my first French transcription):

Extrait du registre baptismal de la commune de Veldwezelt dans lequel se trouve ecrit en Latin ce que huit in Francois.

And here is my translation (I know Google Translate is not the best, but it serves its purpose OK):

Extract from the baptismal register of the municipality of Veldwezelt in which is written in Latin what eight in French.

Not quite sure what the last part means?

commented May 5, 2021 by Alex Fransen G2G6 Mach 4 (41.2k points)