Last week we had a look at the birth certificate of my great-grandfather, Hendrik van Kampen. Today we look at the wedding certificate of him and his wife Geertje Wiesenekker. Like the birth certificate, I found it on FamilySearch.org. Click to enlarge.
Marriage certificate of Hendrik van Kampen and Geertje Wiesenekker
A wedding certificate can be a long document, and often contains a lot of interesting information – like the names of the parents, whether they are still alive, and if so, where they live.
I won’t transcribe and translate the entire certificate, I’ll just summarize:
On 14 September 1904, two people came to the registrar of Hilversum to be united in matrimony: Hendrik van Kampen, 26, labourer, born in and resident of Hilversum, son of Barend van Kampen, tailor, resident of Hilversum, and Lammertje Veerman, deceased, and Geertje Wiesenekker, 24, no occupation, born in Huizen, resident of Hilversum, daughter of Gijsbert Wiesenekker, merchant, and Willempje Prins, no occupation, both residents of Bussum.
Father of the groom and parents of the bride were present and consented to this marriage.
The registrar, after checking all the prerequisites, declared Hendrik and Geertje married.
The marriage took place in the company of four witnesses: Cornelis van Kampen, 65, uncle of the groom, Folkert van Kampen, 35, carpenter, brother of the groom, Dirk van Kampen, 33, mason, and Hendrik te Kloeze, 49, painter.
The certificate was signed by both spouses, the parents of the bride, and the witnesses. The father of the groom declared to be unable to write.
Lots of information about my great-grandfather’s family. What surprised me is that my great-great-grandfather Barend was unable to sign. That is, by itself, not strange: Many people could not write at the time. But Barend did sign the birth certificate of Hendrik that we saw last week. I will try to find out more, and I’ll get back to you if I do.