THE GENUS PELLEKAAN, VAN HOLST PELLEKAAN, PELLICAN, PELLIKAN
Places
It is confusing, was it "De Werken", "De Werken and Sleeuwijk" or "Sleeuwijk? Many places where our namesakes were born, married or died, no longer exist. To avoid confusion, here is an explanation of the origins of the various villages and how they have been merged into larger municipalities over time. With the recent reorganization of January 1, 2019, a lot has changed again.
An overview of the cities, villages and centers that relate to our gender and appear several times in the book.
Overview of municipalities after the municipal reorganization of January 1, 2019.
In 2023, almost all places have merged into a larger whole. The list below is in alphabetical order of the current municipalities. So we start with Altena, followed by Gorinchem, Hardinxveld-Giessendam, Heusden, Molenlanden and finally the Vijfherenlanden.
Altena
Municipality
ALTENA was created by the merger on January 1, 2019 of three Brabant municipalities in the land of Heusden and Altena: Aalburg, Werkendam and Woudrichem. When established, the municipality, with an area of 226 km², became the largest municipality in terms of surface area in the province of North Brabant.
The Altena coat of arms is the municipal coat of arms of the Dutch municipality of Altena (North Brabant). Altena was created on January 1, 2019 through a merger of three neighboring municipalities Aalburg, Werkendam and Woudrichem. The coat of arms was granted to the municipality by royal decree on April 17, 2019. The coat of arms contains elements from coats of arms of previous municipalities. There were two designs, from which a committee consisting of Erfgoed Altena, the regional archivist and a resident could choose. After the approval of the mayor and aldermen, the king was requested to grant the coat of arms. The weapon was identified on April 17, 2019. The weapons diploma was presented on behalf of the Supreme Council of Nobility in November by the chairman of the Supreme Court, Mr. J.P. de Savornin Lohman to acting mayor M. Fränzel.
Aalburg
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
AALBURG was created in 1973 from a merger of the municipalities of Wijk and Aalburg, Veen and Eethen.
The new municipal coat of arms contains elements from the coats of arms of these three municipalities. The walking lion in the shield head comes from the coat of arms of Veen, while the wheels come from the coats of arms of Eethen and Wijk and Aalburg. As of 2019, the coat of arms is no longer in use as a municipal coat of arms because the municipality of Aalburg has been merged into the new municipality of Altena. The colors and one of the wheels from the Aalburg coat of arms have been adopted in the new municipal coat of arms of Altena.
Almkerk
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
ALMKERK - The Lords of Altena built their castle on the Alm, just outside Almkerk. The castle has disappeared, but the castle hill is still clearly recognizable. The town hall of Altena is located in the centrally located Almkerk.
From 1814 onwards, the municipality of Almkerk, sometimes also called 'Almkerk en Uitwijk', consisted of the towns of Almkerk and Uitwijk. In 1879, that municipality merged with Emmikhoven and Waardhuizen to form the municipality of Almkerk c.a., which was merged into the merged municipality of Woudrichem in 1973.
Babyloniënbroek
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
Babyloniënbroek is located on the Bergsche Maas. Because the village was largely destroyed in the Second World War, we generally see newer housing construction there. There is a ferry at Babyloniënbroek sailing across the Bergsche Maas that connects the municipality with Waalwijk.
De Werken
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
De Werken is a village located south of the Merwededijk between Werkendam and Sleeuwijk. The village, which is actually a non-contiguous collection of hamlets (including De Hoef, Vijcie, Buurtje and sometimes Kerkeinde) is named after the stream of the same name, which was probably a northern branch of the Alm. Although smaller than the neighboring centers, it has always been important. For example, in the time before the Reformation it had a parish church dedicated to Saint Martin. De Werken probably also contained an outyard of the Abbey of Berne. It is suspected that the monks of this abbey played a role in the creation of De Werken and Werkendam. The Sleeuwijkse and Werkense Dijk was constructed around 1461, causing the lower reaches of the river to disappear.
In addition to a church, De Werken also had a small castle, Huis De Werken, which was mentioned several times in the 15th and 16th centuries. The foundations of this castle were discovered in 1975. They are located between the hamlets of Schans and Uppel, near the intersection of Zandsteeg and Provincialeweg. This concerns the foundations of a keep, measuring approximately 11 by 12 meters, which was surrounded by water. This water was probably the river De Werken. The castle is said to have been demolished during the 15th and 16th centuries.
Around 1570, De Werken became state property, and in 1590 a preacher came to the Old Church for the first time. Much later, there were also many in De Werken who opted for the Secession of 1834. De Werken was so important that the municipality to which it belonged from 1814-1950 was called De Werken en Sleeuwijk.
De Werken en Sleeuwijk was a municipality in the to North Brabant belonging Land of Altena.
The municipality of De Werken and Sleeuwijk existed from 1814 to 1950. It consisted of the cores Sleeuwijk, part of Nieuwendijk, as well as the villages The works and Chilly. In 1950, the territory of this municipality was added to that of Werkendam added.
Drongelen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
Drongelen is a village in the Dutch municipality Altena in the province North-Brabant. It is one of the lower villages of the Land of Heusden. In 2021, Drongelen had 415 inhabitants. Because the village was largely destroyed in the Second World War, we generally see newer housing construction there.
There was already a church in Drongelen in the Middle Ages. This was in 1509 at a dike breach destroyed. This created a wheel and folklore has it that at low water levels the spire could be seen and the bell could be heard ringing. In the WWII Almost all houses in Drongelen were destroyed. Due to the location of Drongelen on the Bergsche Maas, in 1944 the front line, the village came under fire from Allied artillery. The church was also destroyed at that time.
Dussen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
DUSSEN belonged to the County of Holland since 1200. The village of Dussen actually consists of three former lordships: Munsterkerk, Muilkerk and Heeraartswaarde. Heeraartswaarde was swallowed up by the waves during the Sint Elisabeth flood. Centuries later, the village of Hank was built on this site. Munsterkerk was south of the Dussen river, and Muilkerk was north of it. The oldest written records date from 1276 (Mulekerke) and 1330 (Munsterkerk). The name Munsterkerk (first Monasterium) indicates a monastery. A striking feature of Dussen is the castle that already existed in 1331, the domain of the Lords of Munsterkerk, who liked to call themselves the Lords of Dussen. The Lords of Muilkerk were not happy with that. The location of the castle is remarkable: strictly speaking, it would be located on Muilkerk territory.
The castle was probably completely absorbed into a new castle that was built in 1387 by Arend van der Dussen. It was severely damaged in the Second World War. After the restoration it was used as a town hall for a long time. Monumenten Fonds Brabant is now the owner. The castle is used as a wedding location, theater, office and space for festive and business meetings.
The parish church was located in Muilkerk, while a collegiate church was located in Munsterkerk. Muilkerk was first mentioned in 1156.
Dussen Castle, buildingwd for 1387, and 1474, 1609, and 1628 renovated. The castle was partly destroyed in 1944. In the years that followed, the castle was largely restored.
Eethen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
EATHEN belongs to the lower villages of the Land van Heusden. Until 1798, Eethen was a traditional manor that was a fief of Heusden. There was also a castle in Eethen that probably dates from the 14th century. From 1819, Eethen, Genderen and Heesbeen belonged to the municipality of Heesbeen, Eethen and Genderen, which changed its name to Genderen in 1908, where the town hall also stood. In 1923, this municipality was merged with the municipalities of Meeuwen and Drongelen under the name of the municipality of Eethen.
The municipal coat of arms of Eethen featured an image of Saint Martin, traditionally the patron saint of the village. In 1973, the municipality was merged with the municipalities of Veen and Wijk and Aalburg to form the municipality of Aalburg. In 1944 Eethen suffered heavy war damage. It was in the front line of the occupied north and the liberated south.
Emmikhoven
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
EMMIKHOVEN is the name of a place in North Brabant that was the main town of an independent municipality until 1879: Emmikhoven and Waardhuizen. Emmikhoven is located opposite the Almkerk, on the south bank of the Alm. It is a street village. The street in question is still called: Emmikhovenseweg. Until the beginning of the 19th century, Emmikhoven was a manor with two turned-away silver salmon on a golden field as its weapon. It was owned by the Beelaerts family for a long time. The village is now part of the rapidly growing Almkerk.
The coat of arms of Emmikhoven and Waardhuizen was attached to the then North Brabant municipality of Emmikhoven and Waardhuizen by decision of the Supreme Council of Nobility on July 16, 1817.
Giessen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
In GIESSEN, Giessen Castle once stood. The village already had a tuff church in the 11th century. Around 1200 the Meuse shifted its course and broke through the bed of the Alm, before flowing northwestwards. The church was thus also undermined and rebuilt on a mound outside the dike.
After the Second World War, industrialization came. In particular, in 1952, the wholesale trade in vegetables and potatoes of the Hak company, which had already existed in 1925, started a vegetable canning industry, which has since grown considerably and is the most important employer in Giessen. The former municipality of Giessen was dissolved in 1973 and divided into the municipality of Woudrichem.
Meeuwen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
MEEUWEN (seagulls) is located just north of the Bergsche Maas, halfway between the villages of Eethen and Dussen and belonged to the lower villages of the Land van Heusden. Meeuwen belonged to the municipality of Meeuwen, Hill en Babyloniënbroek, which was called "Meeuwen" from 1908 and was added to the former municipality of Eethen in 1923 before being added to Aalburg in 1973.
Meeuwen was located on the edge of the area that was flooded during the 1953 flood and survived the disaster without much damage, as did Dussen and Babyloniënbroek, while much was destroyed in the nearby towns of Hank and Nieuwendijk.
The Meeuwen coat of arms was attached to the then North Brabant municipality of Meeuwen, Hill and Babyloniënbroek on July 16, 1817 by decision of the High Council of Nobility. This municipality changed its name to Meeuwen in 1908. On May 1, 1923, this municipality was merged into the municipality of Eethen, which meant that the coat of arms was abolished.
Nieuwendijk
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
NIEUWENDIJK - There used to be a large polder here, the Grote Waard. The St. Elisabeth Flood deposited a thick layer of clay, estuary sediment, in fact marine clay, in 1421. As a result, traces of former habitation have disappeared. In 1461, the eastern part of the Land of Altena was again withdrawn from the water through the construction of the Kornsedijk. In 1646 a dike was constructed again, west of the Kornsedijk. This became the new border of the Biesbosch. The village of Nieuwendijk and the hamlet of Kille were founded on the newly acquired piece of land, the Nieuwland van Altena. Historically, Nieuwendijk consists of two villages on the dike, Nieuwendijk and Kille.
Kille belonged to the municipality of De Werken en Sleeuwijk until 1950, while Nieuwendijk had been part of the municipality of Almkerk since 1879. Before 1879, the village was even divided between two municipalities: Almkerk and Emmikhoven in Waardhuizen, but the connection of Emmikhoven in Waardhuizen to Almkerk allowed the two parts of the village to be regrouped in the same municipality. It was not until 1973 that Nieuwendijk and Kille were reunited in the same municipality of Werkendam.
During the 1953 flood disaster, the dike broke, causing extensive damage in Nieuwendijk.
Rijswijk
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
NIEUWENDIJK - There used to be a large polder here, the Grote Waard. The St. Elisabeth Flood deposited a thick layer of clay, estuary sediment, in fact marine clay, in 1421. As a result, traces of former habitation have disappeared. In 1461, the eastern part of the Land of Altena was again withdrawn from the water through the construction of the Kornsedijk. In 1646 a dike was constructed again, west of the Kornsedijk. This became the new border of the Biesbosch. The village of Nieuwendijk and the hamlet of Kille were founded on the newly acquired piece of land, the Nieuwland van Altena. Historically, Nieuwendijk consists of two villages on the dike, Nieuwendijk and Kille.
Kille belonged to the municipality of De Werken en Sleeuwijk until 1950, while Nieuwendijk had been part of the municipality of Almkerk since 1879. Before 1879, the village was even divided between two municipalities: Almkerk and Emmikhoven in Waardhuizen, but the connection of Emmikhoven in Waardhuizen to Almkerk allowed the two parts of the village to be regrouped in the same municipality. It was not until 1973 that Nieuwendijk and Kille were reunited in the same municipality of Werkendam.
During the 1953 flood disaster, the dike broke, causing extensive damage in Nieuwendijk.
Sleeuwijk
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
The oldest mention of SLEEUWIJK dates from 1266. Sleeuwijk owes its significance mainly to the ferry to Gorinchem. This was first mentioned in 1327 and was one of the oldest pedestrian ferries in the Netherlands. In 1811, Empress Marie Louise of Austria, wife of Napoleon Bonaparte, crossed the Merwede with this ferry. That is why the ferry was nicknamed The Feather of Empress Marie Louise and was for a while promoted as the shortest way to Paris. The increasingly busy ferry was of great importance and functioned until the Merwede Bridge was opened in 1961.
In 1589, the church of Sleeuwijk was destroyed when the dike of the Boven-Merwede was breached. Later this church was restored. In 1594, on the orders of William of Orange, the Muggenschans was built, as well as Fort De Werken, on the site where Fort Altena would later be built. This fortification has not been used since the beginning of the Twelve Years' Truce in 1609. Until the second half of the 20th century, something of the fortress could still be seen, but now it has completely disappeared.
The coat of arms of De Werken en Sleeuwijk was granted to the then North Brabant municipality of De Werken en Sleeuwijk on April 7, 1819 by decision of the Supreme Council of Nobility. On October 1, 1950, the municipality was merged into Werkendam. In 1958, a new coat of arms was granted to the municipality of Werkendam in which the coat of arms of De Werken and Sleeuwijk was included in the lower half of the shield. After Almkerk was also added to the municipality of Werkendam in 1973, a new coat of arms was granted containing the twill and one of the three sheaves of wheat from the coat of arms of De Werken and Sleeuwijk in the lower half. The other two sheaves of wheat were replaced by the fish from the Almkerk coat of arms.
Uitwijk
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
UITWIJK - (deviation) is a village in the municipality Altena in the Dutch province North Brabant. It is located in Land of Altena, which has traditionally been the County of Holland belonged.
Uitwijk belonged to the municipality Almkerk and Uitwijk, from 1879 together with Emmikhoven and Waardhuizen to Almkerk c.a., from 1973 to the municipality Woudrichem and since 2019 it has been divided into the municipality Altena.
Uppel
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
UPPEL, formerly called Uppelschedijk, is a small village in the municipality of Altena in the province of North Brabant, in the form of ribbon development located on the Uppelsedijk, which functions as a sleeper dike of the Biesbosch.
The village is located in the Land of Heusden and Altena. The nearest other villages are Almkerk, Nieuwendijk and Sleeuwijk. In the polder landscape outside the village are the Uitwijkse Molen, the Zandwijkse Molen and the Ouden Doorse Molen. North of Uppel is the Fort on the Uppelse Dijk, part of the New Dutch Waterline and now a nature reserve. The Uppelsche Gantel runs along Uppel.
Until late in the last century, Uppel was a hamlet belonging to Almkerk.
Veen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
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VEEN was previously a village in the municipality of Aalburg. The municipality of Veen was added to Aalburg in 1973, but since 1852 the mayoral office of Veen and Wijk en Aalburg has been held by the same person. Veen is located on the Afgedamde Maas, and is a lower village in the Land van Heusden. A ferry connects Veen with Gelderse Aalst, located on the other side of the Afgedamde Maas.
The Veen coat of arms was confirmed on July 16, 1817 by the High Council of Nobility to the North Brabant municipality of Veen. In 1973, Veen was incorporated into the municipality of Aalburg. The municipal coat of arms was therefore abolished. In the shield head of the Aalburg coat of arms, one walking lion has been taken from the Veen coat of arms.
Waardhuizen
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
WAARDHUIZEN was first mentioned in 1292 as Werthuysen. It concerned a donk, where remains of the Vlaardingen culture were found during excavations in 1968. Traces of willow nets were also found, used to fish for sturgeon that live in the border area between fresh and salt water. A church was built at this location, west of the current village, in the 14th century. This was dedicated to Saint James.
The Secession had great influence in Waardhuizen and Uitwijk. Reverend George Gezelle Meerburg also preached here, and exercises were held at the home of Marinus van der Giessen, Almweg 7. He was even taken to prison on April 5, 1837, together with the predecessors Govert Pellekaan and Jan de Jong. Marinus died in prison on December 31, 1837. However, when King William I died, the policy relaxed. The Secessionists bought a house in 1843 that was furnished as a simple church, where 60 to 70 parishioners met every week. In 1851 there was its own preacher for the first time.
Ultimately, these Secessionists came to belong to the Reformed Churches in the Netherlands. In 1944, when the Church had more than 300 members, the Liberation once again brought about a separation of spirits. A large part of the congregation went over to the Liberated and thus two churches were established in Waardhuizen. Ultimately, ties were established with the Reformed Churches and in 1999 a joint pastor was appointed
Werkendam
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
WERKENDAM is located south of the place where the Boven-Merwede splits into the Nieuwe Merwede and Beneden Merwede. Until 1950, Werkendam was an independent municipality. Then Werkendam was merged with the municipality of De Werken and Sleeuwijk, to which the hamlet of Kille also belonged. In 1973, the village of Nieuwendijk was added to Werkendam, and in 1997 the municipality of Werkendam merged with the municipality of Dussen to form the municipality of Werkendam, which was merged into the municipality of Altena in 2019.
The name says it all: Werkendam is the dam of the Werken river. As part of the major hydraulic engineering works in the Groote Waard, the damming took place around 1230. Before that time, there was already a settlement at that location, with the name Wirkenemunde, first mentioned in 1064. The craftsmanship of Werkendam does not fall under Altena, but directly under the bailiff of South Holland in Dordrecht, as do the ecclesiastical goods of the parish .
A well-known event is the fire in the already Protestant Christian village in 1641, in which 81 houses in Werkendam fell prey to the fires. In addition to village fires, Werkendam suffered a lot from plague and floods in the 17th century. In 1812 the Cossacks passed through Werkendam, after crossing the Merwede at Hardinxveld.
The population lives from the river. Skippers, barges and fishermen made their living there, and later there were many willow workers in the Biesbosch. It is to them that Werkendam owes the name 'Women's Heaven', as many men stayed in the Biesbosch all week. Until the 20th century, Werkendam was a true maze of harbors (Old Binnenhaven), canals and waterways. These are now almost all muted.
Since the foundation of the municipality of Werkendam, the municipality has had a total of three coats of arms of Werkendam. Werkendam was a glory before 1797. As of 2019, the third coat of arms is no longer in use as a municipal coat of arms because the municipality of Werkendam has been merged into the new municipality of Altena. When the municipality applied for a coat of arms in 1815, the coat of arms of the last Lord of Werkendam, Theodoor Jan Baron Roest van Alkemade, was initially submitted as the municipal coat of arms. This was rejected by the High Council of Nobility, as the baron was still alive. A second design was then submitted with the ducks from the baron's coat of arms, combined with a salmon as a symbol of the Land van Heusden and Altena and of fishing, which was then an important source of income for the municipality. This coat of arms was granted on April 7, 1819. The second coat of arms is a merger of the coats of arms of Werkendam with those of the municipalities of De Werken and Sleeuwijk. The dovetailed line between the two coats of arms symbolized the interconnectedness of the two municipalities.
With the addition of Almkerk, the two salmons from the coat of arms of that municipality took the place of two of the three sheaves of wheat from the coats of arms of De Werken and Sleeuwijk. The salmon from the old coat of arms of Werkendam disappeared.
Woudrichem
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
WOUDRICHEM originated in the 9th century. A marketplace was created on a levee, where Hoogstraat and Molenstraat are now located. Around the year 1000, a number of settlements focused on Woudrichem appeared, mostly north of the Alm. The Maas initially did not flow past Woudrichem. The main stream of this river first flowed approximately through the bed of the current Bergsche Maas, later the Alm was the main stream, and even later the current Afgedamde Maas, until the Bergsche Maas was dug in 1904.
The first known seal showing the Woudrichem coat of arms dates from 1306, it shows a tree with two birds and a salmon on either side of the tree. A later seal had one salmon under the tree, instead of two salmon next to the tree. The next variant again had the tree, but now with two shields on the sides, the shields showed the weapons of Altena (the salmon) and Horne with three musical horns. The position of the weapons certainly changes at some point. The manor of Altena fell under Horne and Kleef and Woudrichem also belonged to the territory of the lords of Altena. After Woudrichem was added to the county of Holland in 1590, Horne's shield was removed from the seal. The salmon stayed. Their red color may come from the red lion of the coat of arms of Holland, but also from the coat of arms of Cleves. The first coat of arms was awarded to the municipality of Woudrichem on July 16, 1817.
In 1973 the municipality merged with four neighboring municipalities. This merger required a new weapon, the five old weapons were all discontinued. The second coat of arms was awarded to the municipality on March 23, 1974. Both coats of arms are variants of the coat of arms of the Land van Heusden and Altena. As of 2019, the coat of arms is no longer in use as a municipal coat of arms because the municipality of Woudrichem has been merged into the new municipality of Altena.
Woudrichem played an important role for the Pellicans over the centuries. On page 62 of the 2nd edition of the book I go into more detail about the history of this place.
Wijk and Aalburg
Belongs to the municipality of Altena
WIJK EN AALBURG was a village in the municipality of Aalburg. It is located on the Heusdensch Canal and the Afgedamde Maas, in the Land of Heusden. Until 1973, Wijk en Aalburg was an independent municipality.
Gorinchem
City
It is assumed that GORINCHEM was created because fishermen and farmers founded a settlement around the year 1000 on somewhat higher land near an estuary of the Linge in the Merwede. Gorinchem ("Gorinks Heem", i.e. the hometown of the Goringa, the people of Goro (personal name) is first mentioned in a document from 1224 in which Floris IV de Gorcum confirms the toll exemption in the entire county of Holland. In 1273 Jan bought II van Arkel the port of Gorinchem of the Count of Bentheim.
At the end of the 13th century, walls were built around the settlement, reinforced with palisades, in an attempt to protect itself against the domination of the neighboring states of Holland and Gelre. The first public buildings were also founded, such as the Holy Spirit Chapel, the Gasthuis and the Chancellery Chapel.
In the mid-14th century, the ramparts were further reinforced with stone walls containing 7 gates and 23 towers, creating a real city wall. Otto van Arkel granted Gorinchem city rights on November 11, 1382. In a major city fire in 1388, fifteen hundred houses, almost the entire city, went up in flames. Gorinchem was definitively annexed by the counts of Holland in 1417. Due to the connection with Holland, trade flourished and Gorinchem grew into the eighth largest city in Holland.
During the Eighty Years' War, Gorinchem was liberated from Spanish hands on June 26, 1572 when it was captured by the Water Beggars and William of Orange. In the same period, the Gorinchem reform did not pass without a fight. The first Protestant church service was held in 1566. Six years later, on July 9, 1572, the Calvinist Water Beggars captured 19 Roman Catholic priests and brothers and deported them to Den Briel (Brielle) where they were hanged in a peat barn outside the city center. These clergymen became known as the martyrs of Gorcum.
The fortress wall had four city gates: to the north the Arkelpoort, to the east the Dalempoort, to the south the Waterpoort (where you can take the ferry to Woudrichem) and to the west the Kanselpoort. Of the four city gates, only the Dalem Gate remains. The other three were demolished in the 19th century to allow for increased traffic. Part of the Water Gate has been preserved and has been rebuilt in the garden of the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam. In 1673, Gorinchem was included in the (old) Dutch Waterline.
After a flourishing period in the Golden Age, the decline came in the 18th century. At the end of the French rule, the city was also heavily damaged by shelling when the retreating French troops entrenched themselves in the fortress and the city only surrendered after a three-month siege.
The Gorinchem coat of arms is the coat of arms of the municipality of Gorinchem in the Dutch province of South Holland. It was partially confirmed by the High Council of Nobility on July 24, 1816 and awarded to the municipality on March 24, 1982.
Hardinxveld
Giessendam
Minicipality
HARDINXVELD-GIESSENDAM is a municipality in the province of South Holland. The villages within the municipality of Hardinxveld-Giessendam are Boven-Hardinxveld and Giessendam - Neder-Hardinxveld.
The village of Hardinxveld is one of the oldest villages in the Alblasserwaard. It is known that there was a pastor present as early as 1105, and therefore also a church. In the year 1282, Hardinxveld became a so-called high seigneury. The village has suffered greatly from various wars over the centuries, including the Gelderland Wars and the Eighty Years' War.
The name Giessendam first appears in 1231 and is most likely derived from the presence of a dam in the peat river Giessen, around which a village arose. This dam has been the municipal boundary between Hardinxveld and Giessendam for a long time.
The coat of arms of Hardinxveld-Giessendam was awarded to the newly established municipality of Hardinxveld-Giessendam by Royal Decree on September 20, 1958.
Heusden
City
HEUSDEN - In addition to the city of the same name, the fortified town of Heusden also includes the villages of Doeveren, Drunen, Elshout, Haarsteeg, Hedikhuizen, Heesbeen, Herpt, Nieuwkuijk, Oudheusden and Vlijmen, and the hamlets of De Hoeven, Fellenoord, Giersbergen, Kuikse Heide, Luttelherpt and Wolfshoek. However, in this part I limit myself only to the description of Heusden as there were few Pellicans in Drunen and Vlijmen.
The first mention of Heusden dates from 722, as Hunsata Super Fluvium Mosam. The place was said to have been destroyed by the Normans in 839. Presumably this did not concern the city of Heusden as we know it today, which is of a later date. It could be a place that corresponds to present-day Oudheusden, which was located on the then course of the Maas.
Heusden Castle dates from the 12th century. The current town of Heusden developed near this castle. In the year 1157 there was already a conflict over the ownership of the chapel between the abbot of Sint-Truiden and a Templar. In the year 1210 a church was then mentioned. Heusden was located on the strategic border between the Duchy of Brabant, the County of Holland and the Duchy of Guelders, while the County of Cleves also initially had rights there. This made the political situation of Heusden unclear. For example, Heusden was captured by Duke John I of Brabant in 1279 and this is considered the beginning of Brabant influence, although there had been skirmishes between the three power blocs before.
It is not clear when the place received city rights. Various sources mention years such as 1231, between 1290 and 1296, and 1318. Jan van Wijnvliet, Viscount van Heusden renovated and fortified the castle with a wall in the years 1338-1339. In 1340 Wijnric van Oyen was appointed drossaard of the Land van Heusden by Jan van Wijnvliet. In 1357, the Land of Heusden was sold to the County of Holland and therefore became Dutch. The reason for the sale was that the Count of Holland would side with a Brabant candidate in a succession issue.
Several disasters have occurred in Heusden. In 1569 the city was besieged by the Spanish and completely destroyed. The city was hit by the plague several times. During the great fire in 1572, almost the entire city was reduced to ashes. Nothing was left of the beautiful town hall. In 1680, the castle and surrounding houses were destroyed when lightning struck the powder tower.
At the end of the 16th century, Jacob Kemp designed a modern wall according to the old Dutch fortification system. The medieval wall had four city gates: the Wijkse gate, the Bossche gate, the Oudheusdense gate and the Veerpoort. When the wall was demolished to make way for the earthen fortifications, the Bossche Poort disappeared and the Herptse Poort was built. The Wijkse Poort was moved and later expanded to its current form. Count de Mirabeau pointed out the patriotic disposition of Heusden and included the town in his plan of attack. Cornelis Krayenhoff would also pass through Heusden in 1794.
The last tragic event occurred towards the end of World War II. While the Allies advanced, the Germans sought refuge behind a new line, the Bergsche Maas. They had the highest points in the fortress, the town hall and two church towers, blown up. The Germans also did this elsewhere, to prevent the advancing Allies from using tall buildings as lookout posts.
The Heusdense town hall was generally seen as the most beautiful town hall in the whole of the Netherlands. During the Allied shelling, many Heusden residents hid in the large basement of the town hall. Some of it remained in the basement during the unannounced explosion. On the night of November 4 to 5, 1944, the city hall tower was blown up, but the entire city hall collapsed and 134 men, women and children died. At the time this was ten percent of the total population. Less than four hours later, the Scottish tanks and Polish divisions entered Heusden. The perpetrators of the attack were never found, and Heusden lost some of its inhabitants and a historic building.
The Heusden coat of arms was awarded to the North Brabant municipality of Heusden by Royal Decree on June 20, 2000. It is similar to the coat of arms that was granted to the municipality on July 16, 1817, but now features two lions as shield holders. The coat of arms with the wheel has been used by the Lords of Heusden and Altena since 1260, first with 7 spokes and later with 6 spokes. After this family became extinct around 1330, the city of Heusden took over the coat of arms.
In addition to the coat of arms of Heusden, the wheel also appears in the coats of arms of Drongelen, Oudheusden, Maarn and Haamstede, among others.
Molenlanden
Municipality
MOLENLANDEN is a municipality that was created on January 1, 2019 from a merger of the South Holland municipalities of Molenwaard and Giessenlanden. The municipality consists of many villages and centers. However, I limit myself only to a description of the villages and centers where the name of our family often occurred or still occurs.
Vijfheerenlanden
Municipality
The region name VIJFHEERENLANDEN is not older than the 15th century, since the area included in this area only came under the authority of five lords in 1428. The relevant lordships: Arkel Boven de Zouwe, Vianen, Hagestein, Everdingen, and Ter Leede (located just south of modern-day Leerdam) and Schoonrewoerd, were previously in varying administrative relationships: by division into smaller units or through connections with other lordships, In the period before 1425 there were usually more than five administrative parties. For example, in the famous agreement of April 11, 1284, in which interested parties reached an arrangement regarding the flood defense and drainage of the later so-called Vijfheerenlanden, the parties consisted of two Utrecht chapters and a dozen local lords. The year 1284 can therefore be seen as the beginning of the area as a water management unit, later also as an administrative unit. But it is not the case that there were already mention of the “five lords” in 1284, as is written in some sources.
One of the colleges of the Five Lords Countries forms the polders Rietveld, Kedichem, Oosterwijk, Nieuwland, Leerbroek, Reijerskoop and Middelkoop in the “Land van Arkel above the Zouwe”. The Dyke College of the “Land van Arkel Below the Zouwe” had the administration over the polders of the Banne van Gorinchem, called Wolpheren and Lang-Scheiwijk, Arkel, Hoornaar, Schelluinen and Hoog-Blokland, consisting of two polders, called the Oude Land den Beemt, and has a vote and a member in each of the colleges of Alblasserwaard and Overwaard”. In view of these enumerations, the “Land van Arkel above the Zouwe” concerned an area east of the watercourse originally called Zouwe (later Zederikkanaal, today Merwedekanaal), and the Land van Arkel below the Zouwe concerned an area west of it.
The new coat of arms features elements from all former municipalities of Vijfheerenlanden: the red-white, crenellated crossbeams from the old coat of arms of Leerdam; three columns from Vianen and a seven-petal rose, referring to Zederik.
Ameide
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
The first time that AMEIDE was recorded in history in 1021. In a charter describing Huis ter Amonde. Around 1200, the area around Ameide was completely developed. There was a lot of business going on in the town, which was granted city rights by Floris V in 1277 because it was strategically located. Because of this strategic position, the Count of Holland and the Bishop of Utrecht often fought over the city, and as a result the city rights were taken away and returned several times. Due to the frequency of these battles, Ameide regularly changed hands and hardly any significant influence could be exerted from either Holland or Utrecht. In practice, Ameide was an independent state.
The same also applied to Vianen. Ameide was connected to the manor of Vianen, but was not part of it. Later, both cities came into the hands of the German Van Lippe family, making Ameide and Vianen actually independent areas compared to Holland and Utrecht. Due to the competition from the city of Vianen, Ameide was never able to grow bigger.
The Lek River has played an important role in the history of Ameide. On December 24, 1741, there was a major dike breach near Ameide, which caused the entire country around Ameide to be flooded. This happened again around 1744, but with less damage than in 1741.
The Lek also provided economic activity in Ameide, which was an important transhipment port in the Middle Ages and during the Golden Age. The prosperity that the city enjoyed at that time can still be seen in the many monumental buildings in the area. The inner harbor on the Voorstraat, behind the town hall, and the Prinsengracht, the only real canal in Ameide, were filled in at the beginning of the 20th century.
Kedichem
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
KEDICHEM probably originated around the year 1000 on a bank along the Linge. Because the area was regularly flooded, it was diked around 1100. Kedichem was part of the Land van Arkel and was a regular battleground for border disputes between Holland and Gelre. After 1400, Kedichem became a sheriff's craft within the county of Leerdam. In 1820, Kedichem became an independent municipality with, in addition to Kedichem, the centers of Oosterwijk and Achterdijk. In the same year, the river dike broke through again.
A new church was built against the medieval tower. The five windmills that had kept the polder "Kedichem and Oosterwijk" dry until then were replaced in 1883 by a steam pumping station. A town hall was built in 1909 and in 1926 the steam pumping station was replaced by an electric pumping station. On January 1, 1986, the municipality of Kedichem was merged into the municipality of Leerdam.
The Kedichem coat of arms was confirmed to the municipality of Kedichem by decision of the High Council of Nobility on July 24, 1816.
A reconciliation meeting of the Center Democrats and the Center Party in the Cosmopolite hotel gets out of hand on Saturday, March 29, when a large group of anti-fascists throws firebombs inside and everything goes into chaos.
On March 29, 1986, a “reconciliation meeting” took place between the Center Party and the Center Democrats in the Cosmopolite hotel in Kedichem. The location was initially secret, but when it became known around half past three in the afternoon, several hundred activists countered the parties to Kedichem. The Center Party supporters had just started their meeting. They were protected by only two officers. Several dozen activists ordered everyone to leave, smashed windows and threw a number of smoke bombs inside. One of them got caught in a curtain, which caught fire. The hotel caught fire and both parties fled the scene. CD party leader Hans Janmaat managed to escape from the first floor using sheets tied together, but his secretary Wil Schuurman swung through a window using the sheets. She ended up in such an unfortunate position that one of her legs later had to be amputated. The activists were attacked by angry villagers, and some of them were trapped on the river embankment and arrested.
The damage to the Cosmopolite hotel amounted to two hundred thousand guilders; the hotel was completely destroyed. The municipality of Leerdam had the facade of the building demolished due to the risk of collapse. Two months later, hotel owner Peter In den Eng died during demolition work. The hotel was later rebuilt.
Leerbroek
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
LEERBROEK (leather trousers) its name comes from the old Leede watercourse and broek come from swamp. Leerbroek is in fact a merger of Swamp at the Leede. The “Leede” still comes to the fore here and there. The old watercourse still exists, but now appears to be little more than a ditch. In Leerbroek/Leerdam (Dam it the Leede) the road called “Recht van ter Leede” still exists. Furthermore, the well-known nursing home “Huis ter Leede” is also a reminder of the old watercourse.
According to certain data, Leerbroek was founded around 1020-1025 by Jan I van Arkel, who was also the founder of the neighboring village of Nieuwland. Between 1143 and 1303 the region belonged to the lords of van der Lede, then to the Arkel family (1305-1428) and the van Egmond family (1428-1560) until it was added to the Netherlands.
The coat of arms of Leerbroek was granted to the municipality of Leerbroek on December 24, 1817 by decision of the Supreme Council of Nobility. This municipality was split from Meerkerk on April 1, 1817. On January 1, 1986, the municipality merged with Ameide, Hei- en Boeicop, Tienhoven, Lexmond, Meerkerk and Nieuwland to form the newly established municipality of Zederik. The coat of arms of Leerbroek has therefore been abolished. Zederik's coat of arms includes two crenellated poles as a reference to the Van Arkel family. Van Arkel's coat of arms was the basis for a number of coats of arms of the municipalities from which Zederik originated, including Leerbroek.
Leerdam
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
LEERDAM is a city and former municipality in the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden, in the Dutch province of Utrecht. On November 10, 2015, it was announced that the municipality of Leerdam will merge with neighboring Vianen and Zederik to form the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden.
Leerdam is first mentioned in 1143 and is mentioned as Ter Lede or Ter Leede. At that time it was a seigneury of the Heren van der Lede, from which the Van Arkel family originated. The lords owned it until 1305, after which the area fell into the hands of the lords of Arkel. In 1382, Leerdam obtained city rights from Otto van Arkel, and Leerdam received city rights a second time in 1407 from Willem VI of Holland. After the Arkel Wars (1401-1412), the fief of Arkel was reclaimed by Holland. In 1428, the Egmont house acquired the area until the mid-15th century, after which it came to the Oranje-Nassau house.
The rich history of the town of Leerdam can be found in well-preserved historic buildings such as the Grote Kerk, the Hofje van Mrs. van Aerden, the remaining and partially restored city walls of the Zuidwal and the Old Town Hall. There was once a castle on the canal on the south side of the city, the Leerdam Castle. This was completely destroyed by the Spanish in 1574 and never rebuilt. In 1770, the women's courtyard was built here: the Hofje of Mrs. Van Aerden. This is now a museum that you can visit.
The monumental city wall on the Zuidwal and the canals show how fortified the city of Leerdam was. There were 4 gates in the city wall. However, these gates were demolished in the 19th century. After Leerdam Castle was destroyed, Mary of Orange came to live there. She governed the county for her brother.
Lexmond
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
LEXMOND is a village in the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden in the province of Utrecht. The village originated at the mouth of the Laak, a river that connected the Zederik with the Lek around 1000. The word Lexmond therefore means the mouth of the Laak and not so much the mouth of the Lek.
Until 1986, Lexmond was an independent municipality. Lexmond originated in the east side of the extensive Hollandveen, at the place where the peat stream Laak flowed into the river Lek. The place is first mentioned in the chronicles of Jacob van Maerlant. The area fell under the jurisdiction of the Utrecht chapters De Dom and Oudmunster. The medieval writer Melis Stoke describes the destruction in 1132 of the fortification at Lexmond, and probably the village nearby, by Floris the Black. He also describes the burning down in 1237 of the original early 12th century church. In the second half of the 12th or early 13th century, the Lek shifted its course and washed Lexmond away. A little further south the church and the village were rebuilt. The village grew and annexed the hamlets of Kortenhoeven in the east and Achthoven in the west; Both areas had already been mined before 1108.
Lexmond was part of the manor of Vianen, which was also owned by the Van Brederode family. A bastard branch was the Van Brederode van Bolswaert family, who owned the Bolswaard floodplain near Lexmond and named themselves after it. They also owned a house on this inn, called De Bol. The fortified farm De Speltenborch was later built in the immediate vicinity of this house; this was also named after the first owner, who was also a bastard son of Hendrik van Brederode: Dirk Hendriksz van Speltenborch.
In the second half of the 14th century, the fortified house Killestein was built outside the dike, which was demolished in the first half of the nineteenth century. The foundations are still in the ground and the area is archaeologically protected.
The municipality of Lexmond was expanded in 1811 with the hamlet of Lakerveld. After the municipal reorganization of January 1, 1986, Lexmond and its hamlets belonged to the municipality of Zederik, which was merged into the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden on January 1, 2019.
The Lexmond coat of arms was confirmed in use to the municipality of Lexmond on December 24, 1817 by decision of the Supreme Council of Nobility. On January 1, 1986, the municipality merged with Ameide, Hei- en Boeicop, Leerbroek, Tienhoven, Meerkerk and Nieuwland to form the newly established municipality of Zederik. Lexmond's coat of arms has therefore been discontinued. Zederik's coat of arms does not contain any elements from Lexmond's coat of arms.
Nieuwland
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
The village NIEUWLAND was founded in 1025 by Jan van Arkel. Until the year 1725 Nieuwland was called Nouland. Named after the polders Kort and Lang Nouland. It is not known where the name Nouland comes from. The Dutch Reformed Church of Nieuwland was probably also built around the year 1025. It was thoroughly restored in 1982.
The coat of arms of Nieuwland was unofficially used by the municipality of Nieuwland between April 1, 1817 and January 1, 1986, without being confirmed or granted by the Supreme Council of Nobility. On January 1, 1986, the municipality merged with Ameide, Hei- en Boeicop, Tienhoven, Lexmond, Meerkerk and Leerbroek to form the newly established municipality of Zederik. Zederik's coat of arms includes two crenellated poles as a reference to the Van Arkel family. Van Arkel's coat of arms was the basis for a number of coats of arms of the municipalities from which Zederik originated, including the unofficial coat of arms of Nieuwland.
Oosterwijk
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
OOSTERWIJK is a village (wrongly considered a hamlet according to many, but there is a church) west of Leerdam. In the past, Oosterwijk belonged to Kedichem, located even further to the west. Before 1820, Oosterwijk was an independent village with its own sheriff and aldermen. Oosterwijk is located on the Linge river.
The Kerkelaantje forms the core of the village. The village consists of about eighty houses. Klein-Oosterwijk does not belong to Oosterwijk but is a street of Leerdam. It does border on Oosterwijk. The castle that once stood next to the church burned down in 1984 and was replaced by a contemporary villa in 1987. After it lost its function as a castle, it was used as a parsonage for a long time.
Vianen
Belongs to the municipality Vijfheerenlanden
VIANEN is a town and former municipality in the municipality of Vijfheerenlanden, in the Dutch province of Utrecht. About 3,400 years ago the first settlements were in the village of Vianen, but the village was often ravaged by floods, causing the residents to move elsewhere. Final settlements only started around the year 1000 AD.
In 1336, Willem van Duivenvoorde, the builder of Vianen, together with his wife Heilwich van Vianen, gave Vianen the first city rights. Willem built Vianen as a fortified town. The city has several defenses, such as the city walls and the Lekpoort. With these defenses the bishop of Utrecht could be put under pressure, giving Vianen a competitive position compared to Utrecht. The city is located in a strategically important location on the Lek. Later the city was a link in the New Dutch Waterline.
The Brederode family was important for the historical development of Vianen. They turned Vianen into a flourishing city, which was also a state at the same time. In 1414, Walraven I of Brederode became lord of Vianen through marriage. The Brederode family inhabited Batestein Castle. The Van Brederode family belonged to the leading nobility of Holland and played an important role in the history of Holland. In 1679 Wolfert van Brederode, the last male descendant of the family and the last lord of Brederode, died. The manor of Vianen was inherited by the German house of Lippe. At that time, Vianen was still a part of the German Empire that was independent of the Republic. In 1696, Batestein Castle went up in flames, the Hofpoort is all that remains of it now.
In 1725, Vianen was purchased by the States of Holland and West Friesland for a sum of 900,000 guilders. About 70 years later, after the proclamation of the Batavian Republic in 1795, Vianen became part of the Holland region.
West Betuwe
Municipality
On January 1, 2019, the municipality of Lingewaal merged with Neerijnen and Geldermalsen into the merged municipality WEST BETUWE. The current municipality consists of 27 villages and hamlets.
Beesd
Belongs now to the municipality West Betuwe
BEESD is first mentioned in the foundation charter of the Mariënweerd Abbey in the year 1129, in which goods were donated to the abbey in Beesd, among other places. Since 1414, Beesd, together with Rhenoy, formed a small Gelderland office.
After that time, power was largely in the hands of the noble family Pieck, who ruled from the 13th to the 17th century. Thanks to inheritance and high official positions, she had acquired large tracts of land in and around Beesd. There were three castles, the Blauwe huis, the Hoge huys and the Lage huys in Beesd and a castle in the neighboring village of Enspijk. None of these four castles have been preserved, but drawings and paintings have been preserved. During the French period the village was added South-Holland, but after restoration of independence, Beesd returned to Gelderland in 1814. On January 1, 1978, the municipality was dissolved and added to Geldermalsen, as well as Buurmalsen and Deil. On January 31, 1995, the residents of Beesd were obliged to evacuate due to the dangerously high water levels of the Maas and Waal.
In 1427 it received its own land law. The present municipality of Beesd, composed of the former office of Beesd and Rhenoy, the manor of Mariënweerd that separated from this office in 1726 and the former barony of Acquoy, includes the villages of Acquoy, Beesd and Rhenoy.
Estate and Glory Mariënwaerdt, once the location of the abbey, is an estate of over 900 hectares on the edge of Beesd. It contains fields, meadows, forests, avenues and willows. It has been in the hands of the family Van Verschuer since 1734.
Heukelum
Belongs now to the municipality West Betuwe
HEUKELUM is a city and a former South Holland municipality. Now Heukelum is part of the Gelderland municipality of West Betuwe. It is located on the south bank of the Linge River. Heukelum is known for its Merckenburg castle, dating from the early 16th century. Heukelum is located in the Tielerwaard, which forms the westernmost part of Gelderland, between the river Linge and the river Waal.
From a document from 996 it can be concluded that a certain Fretzhold donated his rights to the church in "Ukele", as Heukelum was called at the time, to Bishop Ansfried of Utrecht. Thanks to this donation, it is known that Heukelum owned a church in that year. From this it is concluded that the village of Heukelum (Ukele) was known long before this. A legend tells how Lord Jan II van Arkel rebuilt Heukelum after being plundered by the Vikings. He would have been led to the right place by following a swan.
Somewhere around 1230 the place was walled and city rights were granted before 1393. Small but nice, but a real city. That old history is recognizable everywhere and can be seen when you walk through the small streets. Nice facades with all kinds of ornaments, coats of arms and the tree of life, so prevalent in this region, in the glass above many doors.
Many disasters plagued the city, including floods and a city fire in 1772, which destroyed 36 of the approximately 100 wooden houses. In 1820, the largest, but sparsely populated part of Heukelum south of the Nieuwe Zuiderlingedijk, including the hamlet of Leuven, was added to the Gelderland municipality of Vuren. In 1855 the municipality of Spijk became part of Heukelum.
The Heukelum coat of arms was attached to the municipality of Heukelum on July 24, 1816 by decision of the Supreme Council of Nobility.
Rhenoy
Belongs now to the municipality West Betuwe
RHENOY is a village in the province of Gelderland. It is located on the Linge between Geldermalsen and Leerdam. The name of the village is probably derived from the word Rhenus (Rhine). Rhenoy originated from houses that were built around the Linge and is first mentioned in the foundation charter of the Mariënweerd Abbey in the year 1129. Rhenoy was united with Beesd for many years in the Ambt van Beesd and Rhenoy.
No historical coat of arms is known from the seigneury of Rhenoy. However, a fantasy weapon is mentioned in the 18th century. The village coat of arms was once established by the municipality, but it remains unknown why this color combination was chosen (van Tuyll has red heads) and where the crowns come from.
In April 2019, a meeting of our family was held in the village hall of Rhenoy. More than 140 people came to the book reading and presentation of the second edition of the red book about our gender.
Spijk
Belongs now to the municipality West Betuwe
Also SPIJK is a village in the province of Gelderland. It is located where the Merwede Canal ends in the Linge, opposite Arkel. Rietveld is located on the other side of the Linge and a foot ferry runs between these two places. The church dates from the 14th century. In 1812 Spijk belonged to the municipality of Kedichem. This only lasted a few years and in 1817 Spijk became an independent municipality.
From 1855 to 1985, Spijk, together with Vuren, was a municipality belonging to Heukelum. With the merger of a number of municipalities, these municipalities became part of the then newly formed municipality of Lingewaal, which was merged into the municipality of West Betuwe from 2019.