Frederik Zee (1845) & Maartje Bakker

It’s all about Maartje, really. Her lace making wasn’t the usual grandmother embroidery stuff – she had an exceptional talent. Her last piece, made when she was in her 70’s, was gifted by the Netherlands to the 28th president of the United States, Woodrow Wilson.

She was highly favoured by the Dutch royal family. The Queen of the Netherlands at the time was Wilhelmina, and was especially fond of the lace pieces that Maartje was able to make for her. When the new princess, Juliana (who later became Queen), was born in 1909, Maartje was asked to make a lace pillow for her crib. In all, Maartje received five medals for her work, two from the Dutch royal family, two from Den Haag and Medemblik respectively, and one from Isabella II, the Queen of Spain.

Maartje was born in 1845 in Abbekerk, daughter of Jan Bakker and Aagje Verweij. She was the youngest of a family of six: her siblings were Aaltje Bakker (1832), Poulus Bakker (1836), Jan Bakker (1838), Trijntje Bakker (1839), Aagje Bakker (1841). Maartje married Frederik Zee in 1868. Maartje’s older sister Trijntje Bakker had already married Frederik’s brother Jan Zee in 1859, so there was a strong bond between the Zee and Bakker families.

Frederik Zee, son of Pieter Zee and Neeltje Veer, wasn’t quite as worldly, but he did good work too. He was one of the founders of ‘Nut en Genoegen’ in Twisk, a community group that began in 1869. When Maartje passed away in 1919, he went to live with his son Piet Zee, in Amersfoort. A few years later, he decided some international travel was in order, so he boarded a ship to the United States to visit his sons Paul and Jan. On his return, he went to live an a rest home in Hoorn, at the Achterom, where he was in charge of the garden. He died in 1931 at the age of 86.

Frederik – the name

The naming order for Pieter and Neeltje sons was Cornelis, Jan, Andries, and then Frederik. Cornelis was Maartjes fathers name, Jan was Pieters father, Andries was Maartjes grandfather, and Frederik – well, where did that come from? Pieter’s parents were Jan Zee and Aaltje Schuitemaker, and his grandparents were Bruin Zee and Jannetje Tromp. The latters father was Frederik Tromp, so that’s a candidate, but it might be more likely that Frederik was named for Pieters uncle, Frederik Zee (1770-1825). Maybe a favouite uncle? This Frederik was a teacher in Spanbroek, fond of a drink or two, and if not the worlds best teacher, perhaps quite a likeable fellow.

The family of Frederik & Maartje

The couple had five children. The first, Jan Zee was born in 1870, and later emigrated to the US. Pieter Zee stayed in Holland. Paul Zee, the third brother, was the first Zee to emigrate to the US with family, following his cousin Pieter. Neeltje Zee died in tragic circumstances at the age of 18; her earlier sister with the same name died young. In 1920, Frederik himself made a trip to the United States to visit his children who had emigrated, staying for several years.

Jan Zee & Dieuwertje Mantel

Jan married Dieuwertje Mantel in 1895, in Opperdoes. They had two children – Clementia, and Maria Frederika. Jan emigrated to the US – without any of them – sailing on the White Star Line RMS Majestic from Southampton to New York on April 13th, 1910. The Majestic was the immediate predecessor of the Titanic, and was removed from service in early 1912 to make way for the new ship. When Titantic sank in April that year, the Majestic was rushed back into service.

For his children, his whereabouts was, for a long period, unknown. Around 1905, he left his wife and two children. Dieuwertje’s later admission to a psychiatric hospital in Castricum for six years will point to the reason why.

He married again in 1909, and emigrated with his new wife Tietske Conradi, later known as Henriette (easier on the american tongue) to the US in 1910, first staying with his brother Paul in Chicago, before moving to Syracuse, in upstate New York, where he worked as a gardener. Tietske was a divorcee; not a common circumstance in Holland at the turn of the last century.

When Jan’s daughter Clementia was married in 1919, the record shows that “The bride states that she does not know where her father is“. The situation for both father and daughter would have been a sad one. However, later in life, Jan did reconnect with Clementia. Although they never saw each other again, they did stay in contact through letters. In the latter years of his life, Jan’s brother Paul tried to organize for them both to return to Holland to visit, and to see his daughters. However, at the last minute, Jan was unable to travel – possibly due to illness – and died shortly thereafter.

For Clementia’s sister Maria, the fallout of the situation had a deeper impact. Without parents, she grew up in an orphanage, and carried the emotional effects of the situation with her throughout her life. She married Oscar Steger in 1931 and moved to Germany, working as head nurse in a hospital there. After World War 2, she too had no further contact with Clementia.

Neeltje Zee: her story

Frederik and Maartje’s only daughter, Neeltje Zee, was born November 8th, 1877, in Twisk. When she was 17, she became pregnant – but by the time her daughter Nelly Rudolfine was born, it was clear that the father was not going to be part of the new child’s life. On the birth certificate, his name is notably absent.

Her daughter, Nelly Rudolfine Zee, born Dec 28th, 1895, was cared for and raised by her grandparents. She became a nurse at the Wilhelminagasthuis in Amsterdam, where she met her future partner Paula Dirkzwager, also a nurse there. Later she moved to Bennekom, where she was one of three ladies living in what was known as the “Drie Mädelshaus“, sharing a home with her partner Paula, and a friend, Sara Gooszen, a Dominee (or Priest). Nelly died here in 1987.

Nelly Zee’s birth in Amsterdam

Geboorteakte Amsterdam >

Nelly Rudolfine Zee‘s birth certificate tells us a few things. She was born December 28th, 1895 in Amsterdam, at Prinsengracht 717. Her birth was registered by Clasina Albertina Tijl, a Director aged 49 years, also living at Prinsengracht 717. Clasina was married to Gerrit de Wilde, a doctor >, who had died in 1878, though his death certificate lists him as a Predikant or preacher >.

The address tells us that Neeltje Zee gave birth to Nelly here. It was a school for nurses, called the Wilhelmina Huis. The building is now a hotel >. From some research, it’s apparent that other children were born here where the father was unknown >, indicating that the school for nurses had a social function.

Why was Neeltje in Bussum?

Neeltje moved from Abbekerk to Amsterdam in May of 1896, taking up work as a maid. She worked for Martinus J. Boeijes and his family, who were living at Amsteldijk 18 in the city centre. There were four children aged 7, 9, 11, and 13, and looking after them would have been a lot of work. For Neeltje though, it must have been tremendously hard being away from her own family, and her daughter Nelly, who was only four months old when she left for Amsterdam.

A few months later, over the weekend of September 20th, 1896, Neeltje Zee was reported missing in Bussum. A newspaper report says that she left three letters behind: one to her parents, one to her former minnaar (an old term indicating a man she was in a relationship with), and one to her mistress (ie., the family she worked for).

On the morning of Tuesday, September 22nd, 1896, at the age of 18, her body was found in a pond. A newspaper report tells us that she committed suicide. She had been missing for a day or two, so it appears that she might have taken her life on the Sunday prior.

The first newspaper report says that her parents were living in Venlo. That’s a strange location, since there is no known connection to Venlo. Her parents were living in Twisk/Opperdoes. It may suggest that the father of the child was from Venlo.

There remains some mystery to her death. Why was she in Bussum? That’s a good distance from Amsterdam. Noteworthy is that the newspaper report says she went missing from Bussum, not Amsterdam, so perhaps the family she worked for had a weekend home there? They did previously live in Naarden, next door.

More interestingly, is who the father of Nelly Rudolfine was. We know (from a letter from Frederik Zee to the orphanage in Hoorn) that he was a tax collector visiting Twisk in March of 1895, and stayed with the family: this is what lead to Neeltje becoming pregnant in the first place. We also know that he was engaged. We can also guess that perhaps his name was Rudolf, and maybe he was from Venlo.

Documents

Genealogy

Frederik Zee
* 26-Aug-1845 Twisk [Pieter Zee & Neeltje Veer]                  
+ 03-Dec-1931 Hoorn [>] Aged 86

x Maartje Bakker 03-May-1868 [>]
* 23-Mar-1845 Abbekerk [Jan Bakker & Aagje Verweij]
+ 24-Aug-1919 Hoorn [>] Aged 74

F1 Jan        03-Sep-1870 Opperdoes     x Dieuwertje Mantel 
F2 Neeltje    07-Nov-1874 Twisk         + 12-Sep-1875 Twisk
F3 Pieter     14-Nov-1876 Opperdoes     x Alida Wienands
F4 Neeltje    08-Nov-1877 Opperdoes     + 22-Sep-1896 Bussum
F5 Paul       25-Mar-1880 Opperdoes     x Johanna de Graaff

Generation F

F1 Jan Zee
* 03-Sep-1870 Opperdoes     
+ 30-Jan-1935 Syracuse, NY, USA
x (1) Dieuwertje Mantel 15-Apr-1895 Opperdoes
* 27-Feb-1872 Nibbixwoud [Pieter Mantel & Clemensia Keetbaas]
+ 

Children:
G1 Clementia Zee       25-Aug-1896 Venhuizen       x Marten Scheffers
G2 Maria Frederika     01-Feb-1904 Venhuizen       x Oscar Steger 

x (2) Tietske (Henriette) Conradi {marriage not confirmed}
* 28-Feb-1876 Utrecht [unknown father & Maaike Conradi] 
+ 09-Mar-1959 Syracuse


F2 Pieter Zee
x Alida Wienands

See Pieter Zee branch 


F4 Neeltje Zee    
* 08-Nov-1877 Opperdoes     
+ 22-Sep-1896 Bussum

Children:
Nelly Rudolfine   28-Dec-1895 Amsterdam     + 21-Sep-1987 Bennekom  


F5 Paul Zee        
* 25-Mar-1880 Opperdoes     
x Johanna de Graaff

See Paul Zee branch


Generation G

G1 Clementia Zee
* 25-Aug-1896 Venhuizen
+ 18-May-1990 Bloemendaal
x Marten Scheffers 23-Jun-1919 Harlingen [>]
* [Klaas Scheffers & Aukje Joustra]
+

Children:
1 M.D. Scheffers x Nicolaas Blankevoort

G2 Maria Frederika Zee     
* 01-Feb-1904 Venhuizen    
+    
x Oscar Steger 07-Jan-1931 Haarlem [>]

Documents

Photos

Timeline

Frederik Zee

15-Dec-1875 Frederik Zee purchases house, shed, and land in Opperdoes from Klaas Laan, Secretaris van het Ambacht de Vier Noorderkoggen en landeigenaar wonende te Opperdoes ... een woonhuis met schuur en erf, staande en liggende in het oosteinde van Twisk, onder de gemeente Opperdoes, uit makende gelijk is afgehekt het westelijk deel ter groote van nagenoemd 11 aren 26 centiaren, van het Kadasrale perceel Sectie A nommer 633. Den verkooper aangekomen het huis door stichting en de grond bij acte van trasnport op den 30 Juli 1847 voor den toen te Medemblik gevestigden notaris Claas Gerdenier overleden, overgeschreven den 21 Augustus daaraan en deel 96 artikel 27. .. De comparanten verklaarden: .. -dat het hek, diende tot scheiding tusschen het verkochte en het onverkochte gedeelte van het perceel Gemeente Opperdoes Sectie A nommer 633 door den verkooper zal worden onderhouden ... [en] dat op het niet bebouwde gedeelte [no house to be built or a fine of fl. 2000 must be paid by F. Zee]. Purchase price fl. 3000. Agreement signed at the home of Klaas Laan, Opperdoes.

10-Mar-1880 Frederik Zee holds an auction at his house in Twisk [Westeinde], administered by Cornelis Donker of Benningbroek. In the end he sells some cows for good money: f. 214, 149, 184, and 174 for the first four, total f. 721. Also 4 sheep for f. 100, a goat for f.3, 12 more sheep for f. 210, and 6 wagons of hay for about fl.180. The total income from the auction is f. 1285. Pretty good going. >

07-Dec-1885 Frederik Zee takes out a loan of fl. 1000. Living oosteinde van Twisk 'onder Opperdoes'. His house is given as security - woonhuis, schuur, kadaster A811, 10 aren 90 centaren, purchased in 1875. >. The loan is taken from "Mevrouw de Creditrice" Julie Machiels, residing in 's-Gravenhage, 'Douairière' of Sir Michel Henrij Godefroi. 

   Sep-1895 F. Zee failliet, Opperdoes.

14-Nov-1895 Newspaper: Notaris TEKPSTRA te Benningbroek zal op DONDERDAG 14 NOVEMBER 1895 's avonds 7 uur, in de herberg van J. VROOM, in het Oosteinde van Twisk onder Opperdoes, publiek verkoopen : EEN WOONHUIS door meerdere gezinnen bewoond, met Schuur, Erf en Grond in het Oosteinde van TWISK, onder Opperdoes, groot 10 aren, 90 centiaren. Eigendom van den heer F. ZEE aldaar.

xx-Dec-1895 Who bought the house?

17-Jan-1896 F. Zee no longer failliet.

23-Mar-1897 Frederik Zee & Maartje Bakker move to De Buurt 52 (later 8) Midwoud, from Abbekerk. The house was previously occupied by Jan Buisman & Aaltje Groot, who moved out the same day to Velsen. [Source Midwoud Bvr.]

29-Jun-1898 "Te koop, 4 wagens best Paardenhooi, bij F. Zee te Midwoud". Nieuwe Courant ad. >

23-Jan-1899 Frederik Zee & Maartje Bakker move from Midwoud to Hoorn. [Since he was written into Hoorn as a Kruidenier, maybe he had a store in Midwoud?]

1900- Frederik & Maartje living in Hoorn. First at Spoorstraat 16. Then Koepweg 51. Then 3e Boomlaan 22, then 48. Then Dal 9/19 (14?). All between 1900-1920, no specific dates for each move. Frederik Zee initially 'kruidenier' (1900), later 'landbouwer'. Also living at same addresses: Dirk Reus, Schilder, from Beemster (geb. 18-Dec-1877), and Pieter Braak from Midwoud (geb. 05-Jul-1884) from 20-Sep-1902, noted as "neef". Pieter Braak: zoon van Cornelis Helder & Trijntje, living Hoorn 1904. Had moved from F. Zee's house by 1903.

03-May-1903 Frederik and Maartje celebrate 35th wedding anniversary, living at Spoorstraat 16, Hoorn [>]

23-Nov-1907 Te Koop 7-8000 kilo Suikerbieten, bij F. ZEE 3e Boomlaan 22, HOORN [Nieuwe Hoornsche Courant [>], same address 08-Apr-1908 Gevonden: Parapluie, same address Aug 1908 for 6-7 wagens Haverstroo. 3e Boomlaan 48 1910, 1911.

21-Oct-1909 F. Zee en M. Bakker vragen opname van hun kleindochter Nelly, 21 October 1909 [>] Protestantse Weeshuis (incl. Burger Weeshuis en Huiszittende Armenvoogden) *, Hoorn, 1373-1960. Ontvangen stukken, acten, reglementen, enz. enz 1905-1909. WFA >>>

   May-1918 50 year anniversary Maartje & Frederik

20-Aug-1919 Frederik places ad looking for home help, where his wife is unwell. Address listed as St. Pietershof (No. 19). [>]

24-Aug-1919 Maartje Bakker dies. Address Dal No. 9 [that's St. Pietershof] [>]

17-Sep-1919 Frederik verhuisd van Hoorn naar Amsterdam, Witte Witstraat 11, after Maartje passed away. [To live with son Pieter Zee & family]

19-Oct-1920 Frederik travels to the United States [visiting son Paul Zee]. Rotterdam-New York, Ship "Rotterdam" >

15-Nov-1924 Frederik returns to Holland from the US. Departure on Nieuw Amsterdam from New York-Rotterdam, Holland America Line. Gives address as Drieboomlaan, Hoorn. >.

03-Dec-1931 Frederik dies aged 86 at Achterom 3, at 10.30pm on the evening of December 3rd. [>]


Jan Zee & Dieuwertje Mantel

15-Apr-1895 Jan Zee and Dieuwertje Mantel [b. 27-Feb-1872, daughter of Pieter Mantel & Clemensia Keetbaas] married in Opperdoes. [>]

22-Nov-1904 Jan & Dieuwertje move from Venhuizen to Alkmaar [>]

24-Oct-1908 Nibbixwoud Population registers show Dieuwertje Mantel as 'head of family' with daughters Clemensia and Maria Frederika, arriving from Alkmaar. "Zee" listed above but not there. [>]

       1909 Jan Zee failliet.

       1909 Marraige of Jan Zee and Tietske Conradi, according to the arrival documents in Ellis Island. But this may not be true. 

09-Apr-1910 Jan Zee and Tietske Conradi leave Alkmaar for the USA. 

21-Apr-1910 Arr New York from Southampton on the RMS Majestic. Jan Zee, Farmer, 5'10, 39, destination Chicago, Illinois. Last residence Amsterdam, NL. With wife Conradie (?), 5'6, 34y 2m [so born Feb 1876] , born Utrecht. [Ellis Island arrival manifest >] Not Dieuwertje - she would have been 38, not 34. More sailing records? Staying with Paul Zee, 33 E 110 St Chicago. [>]

24-Sep-1912 Van 24-09-1912 tot 05-07-1918 Dieruwertje Mantel opgenomen geweest in het Provenciaal Ziekenhuis te Castricum. In de huwelijksakte van dochter Clemensia (23-06-1919) staat dat Dieuwertje wegens krankzinnigheid wilsonbekwaam is ["is incapacitated by means of insanity”]. Dieuwertje woonde ten tijde van dit huwelijk [1919] in Woensel. [>][>]

23-Jun-1919 Clementia Zee, living Harlingen, marriage to Marten Scheffers. Daughter of Jan Zee, whose existance or whereabouts is not known. "The bride states that she does not know where her father is". [>]

10-Jan-1920 US Census. John Zee (48) and Harriet Zee (43) living in Cicero, north of Syracuse, NY. [>]

30-Sep-1921 Clementia Zee & Marten Scheffers move from Alkmaar to Haarlemmermeer. Marten (Timmerman van Harlingen) reg. Haarlemmermeer [>], son Klaas Scheffers born 29-Apr-1922.

17-Jan-1921 Jan Zee petition for naturalization, US. Gardener, residing Clay, NY. Left Rotterdam 13-Apr-1910, arr NY 21-Apr-1910. Wife's name: Margaret [maybe Harriett mispronounced], born 29-Feb-1876. 'I have no children'. Becomes US citizen 23-Apr-1921. [>]

1925 NY State Census. John Zee & Harriette Zee. 722 2nd North St. Both naturalized Apr 22, 1921. Joseph Bunder, boarder, 27, Dutch, living with them. [>]

17-Apr-1930 US Census. John Zee, Syracuse. Owned home $2,000. Address 722 Second North Street, Syracuse. Aged 59. Age at first marriage 36 [so 1907 approx]. Immigration year 1910. Worker code VVW. Occupation: Truck farm. Wife Harriet Zee, servant to private family. Emigrated 1910. Age 54. Age at first marriage 31. No children noted on census. [>]

07-Jan-1931 Jan's daughter Marie Federika marries Oscar Steger. Parents both living in Syracuse NY, not present at wedding. [>]

1940 US Census. Henrietta Zee, widowed, patient at Marcy State Hospital, age 63 [so born 1877], born Holland. From Syracuse. 

09-Mar-1959 Henriett Zee of Syracuse, New York death record [>]

Tietske / Henrietta (USA) Conradi, dr. van N N en Maaike Conradi, geb. te Utrecht op 28 feb 1876 a. 406 : een vroedvrouw doet aangifte van de geboorte van Tietske Conradi, geboren uit Maaike Conradi, zonder beroep, wonende alhier.
 In de kantlijn van deze geboorteakte stond het volgende vermeld: bij akte verleden voor de ambtenaar van den Burgerlijken Stand te Amsterdam van den negenden Juni 1897 heeft Maaike Conradi dit kind voor het hare erkend, - bij het 1e huwelijk van Tietske dus. Tietske was dus een zg. ''onecht kind''. naaister, ovl. (83 jaar oud) te Syracuse [Verenigde Staten] op 9 mrt 1959 in County Ondaga (bron: Fam.search, New York, State Health Department, Genealogical Research Death Index).
 tr. (1)  (resp. 21 en 28 jaar oud) te Amsterdam op 23 jun 1897 akte 1675, reg. 17, folio 39-v DDT: vader bruidegom overleden, moeder wonende alhier, bruid geb. te Utrecht, wonende alhier, minderjarige natuurlijke erkende dochter van Maaike Conradi, dienstbode, wonende alhier en verklaarden de beide moeders voor ons tegenwoordig toe te stemmen in deze echt.
 Get.: een ambtenaar en drie bodes.
 De moeder van de bruid kon niet schrijven.
 In de kantlijn staat de latere scheiding vermeld, ingeschreven in het Register van Huwelijken en Echtscheidingen nr. 33, folio 46 te Amsterdam, 11 October 1904, (gesch. te Amsterdam op 16 okt 1903), als reden voor de echtscheiding wordt ''overspel door de vrouw'' vermeld. (Noord Hollands archief, BS. huw 11-10-1904, aktenr. Reg. 33, fol.46)
 met Jan Jacob Joseph Engelblik, geb. te Amsterdam ca. 1869 zoon van Pieter Engelblik en Joanna Catharina Wilhelmina Schorn, sigarenmaker.
 Tietske: naar Haarlem komende vanuit Amsterdam op 25-6-1909, vanaf 30-8-1909 woonachtig in de Schermerstraat nr. 5, beneden, vertrekt op 9 April 1910 naar Noord Amerika.Zij blijkt dus in Haarlem op hetzelfde adres te wonen als Jan Zee. Uit dokumenten USA via Jan(John) Zee, blijkt dat ze zich in Amerika Henrietta is gaan noemen, dit kwam vaker voor, wanneer men een voor Amerikaanse begrippen lastige voornaam had.Dus ging ze vervolgens door het leven als Henrietta Zee (op naam van haar man).


Neeltje Zee & Nelly Rudolfine Zee Timeline


08-Nov-1877  Neeltje Zee born Twisk (Opperdoes Westeinde)

  -Mar-1895  Neeltje becomes pregnant in Twisk.

28-Dec-1895  Nelly Rudolfine Zee born Amsterdam, Prinsengracht 717.

13-Feb-1896  Neeltje Zee inschrijving Haarlem. Dienstbode. Will/Willem/Wilhut/Wilhelmina straat (?) No. 16. [BVR Haarlem >]
15-Feb-1896  Neeltje Zee moves fom Twisk to Haarlem [BVR Opperdoes]

07-Apr-1896  Neeltje Zee moves from Haarlem to Opperdoes Westeinde 126, home of parents F. Zee & M. Bakker. > 

11-May-1896  Neeltje Zee moves with the family to Abbekerk. BVR Opperdoes >. 

13-May-1896  Neeltje Zee moves to Amsterdam, to work as dienstbode. Amsteldijk 18, Wijk YY. M.J. Boeije. >. Death listed as 22-Sep-1896. 
 * M.J. Boeije Ams/Naarden >

Marinus Johannes Boeije > BVR Amsterdam. Living Amsteldijk 18. Kapitein der Artellerie, later teacher. Moved from Naarden to Amsterdam 1889. Married to Anna de Jonge van den Halen. 4 children aged about 7,9,11,13 in 1896. On 08-Sep-1896 son Daniel (born 1881) moves to Rheden bei Velp (Arnhem). In Naarden, the family lived at Schippersstraat 525 from 1887-1889 >.

May-Sep-1896 No entry in Bussum BVR (Dienstbode) for Neeltje >

22-Sep-1896  Neeltje Zee overleden Bussum. 

24-Sep-1896  Newspaper report Het Vaderland: 'Bij Bussum is thans het lijk gevonden van het daar onlangs vermiste meisje. Het lag in een vijver en het blijkt, dat ze uit teleurgestelde liefde zelfmoord heeft gepleegd'. Translation: 'The body of the recently missing girl has now been found near Bussum. It was in a pond and it turns out that she committed suicide out of disappointed love.'

23-Oct-1915  Nelly Rudolfine leaves the Hoorn Protestant Weeshuis for Beverwijk, Noorderparklaan. Nelly is aged 20. Why the move to Rotterdam?

16-Sep-1932  Nelly Rudolfine, Nurse, Wilhelminagasthuis Amsterdam. [>] [Daughter of Neeltje Zee]

28-Jan-1987  Sara Gooszen, died at Bennekom. Doopsgeziden Dominee te Delft. 'In Wageningen woonde ze in het “Drei Mädlerhaus” met Nel Zee en Paula Dirkzwager.' [>]

21-Sep-1987  Nelly Rudolfine Zee overleden Bennekom  

       2020  Pieter Zee in Hobrede has a few more details on the story of Neeltje Zee: "Jan Donker in Twisk told us the story of Neeltje Zee, daughter of Frederik Zee (born 1845). Neeltje became pregnant to an unknown man. She gave birth to a daughter, also named Neeltje. In that time a scandal to the family. The whole family, the whole village ignored her. After about one year she wrote a letter (Jan showed us the letter), in which Neeltje told that life was very heavy to her, she couldn’t bear it any longer.. and asked her father Frederik and his wife (her mother) to take care of her child.. and commited suicide. Her parents took the full responsability for the little Neeltje indeed. Jan Donker discovered that the heritage of these Zee’s came into the hands of 3 women, living together at the Veluwe (woods in central Holland). And Jan Donker followed all that happened to that heritage, and organized a most interesting exposition in 2014 - 2016 of all the stuff in the church of Twisk named ‘Three generations Zee’s in Twisk’!! The heritage included drawings, paintings, stoves, traditional dresses of adults and of children as well, letters, jewels, bracelets, horloges, ouches, brooches, necklaces, shoes, skates, purces, old furniture, coins, fotographs.. all sort of things herited from different generations, remarkable!"

Maartje Bakker

Parents Jan Bakker & Aagje Verweij. Sister Trijntje married Frederiks brother Jan Zee. Brother Poulus. 
Jan Bakker was the son of Jan (snr) Bakker and Trijntje Kaag.