(my) Writing Wednesdays #4: In their own words...

I am wallowing a bit in my writing... the downed power lines in the recent storm have not helped my productivity one bit, thank you very much! And it is COLD!

However, continuing in the context vein from last week, one thing that I have begun to do as I finalize a given chapter of the family history is to include contemporary quotes either to begin the chapter or in a side bar strategically placed within the chapter. These quotes – by contemporaries of the family members – reflect day to day issues as well as the grander issues associated with the wars and hostilities of life on the frontier. Of course, what I like about the accounts of the contemporaries of the settlers is that these accounts are written the the voices of the people who observed these events as they unfolded. As a result, they provide a perspective that we might otherwise ignore or misunderstand. Sometimes, our “modern” eyes views things quite differently – for example, in last Wednesday's post, I used the example of attitudes towards divorce – then – and now. These accounts help put a family member in their own time period. Knowing how they may have experienced something “then” is, in my mind, an important part of coming to know “who” they are and in identifying with them, enriching the family history.

Today I am briefly sketching out a few of my my favorite context providers on life in colonial New Netherland. So I have selected some contemporary quote sources (with exemplar quotations) – that might provide some of that very personal view by hearing about the area, the community, the historic events – in the “voice” of someone contemporary to my family member. Of course, better yet is to hear something in their own words, but we do not always have that luxury (unless, of course, our family lines included not only pack rat genes, but also the knowledge for preserving those 300+ year old documents!)

The Book Nook: Beverwijk, by Janny Venema

My Book Nook includes my take on books I have found useful - if not essential - in researching the Dutch Colonial line of my family tree. From time to time, I will post and review some of my favorite books in the Book Nook (as well as some of those I picked up and thought were duds). Like all self-selected lists, my Book Nook is idiosyncratic and reflects my preferences and interests. I should also give you a fair warning - I love books and read several a week (I also don't sleep a lot). Some books I plan to review here in the Book Nook are very old and no longer in print, but a review may help you to determine if you want to go to the effort of finding the book on interlibrary loan. Other books may just have been released. I have amassed a vast collection over the years; some books I have found useful and some not so useful. But enough... on to the book for the edition of the Book Nook.

BEVERWIJK: A DUTCH VILLAGE ON THE AMERICAN FRONTIER, 1652 TO 1654 (by Janny Venema, State University of NY Press, Albany, 2003).

    I found this book to be an absolute treasure. So now that we have that out of the way, some details. Based on her doctoral dissertation, Ms Venema presents a fascinating view of quite a cross section of the lives of the settlers of this outpost "upriver" on the Hudson. As only a dissertation can do, she looks at vast a number of aspects concerning the lives of the settlers that are hard, if not impossible, to find in a single volume. 

For example, Ms. Venema takes the reader through the building of the settlement, how the village was laid out and land distributed, how the settlers dealt with poverty amongst their neighbors, their educational system, the Orphan Masters, medical care, and slavery, to name just a few. In each area she covers, Ms Venema provides background information, as well as rich detail. She incorporates snippets of information on the various settlers - great and small - to demonstrate her points. These snippets on the settlers provide a priceless view of many of the settlers, utilizing the skills of a detailed and meticulous researcher. It is these details that may help you fill out your own family history, and possibly find someone who has been "missing".

Many books of this type are a rather dry recounting of facts and statistics. While Ms Venema provides a strong dose of statistics and numbers, she also adds what is missing in so many other volumes: the context - the backdrop against which the settlers of Beverwijk played out their petty quarrels and experienced their triumphs. Ms. Venema also explores key professions, such as blacksmiths, bakers, brewers and tavern keepers. Rather than merely highlighting these categories of workers, you will find detailed tables telling you who did what and when, allowing you to trace your ancestors and their economic endeavors across time.