September 18 1671

Maria Evenepoel, born around 1600, died in Gooik. She was a "meisenier". Her first husband was mayor of Meerbeke. In 1636 she married her third husband Nicolaus Walravens (Pamel ca 1610 - Gooik 1666). They first were farmers ("pachters") of Hof te Kranenbroek in Poelk.

(I may have stated this before, but the term "pachter" was reserved for the more important exploitations - smaller tenants were called "cossaart").

Later - in 1642 - Nicolaus probably built the farm and boarding house ("afspanning") "Drie Egypten" in Gooik. This is now the oldest standing house in the village. Nicolaus was "drossaard" - to be compared to a bayliff - of Gooik.

I descend from two of their children, each time through my father and through my mother, but some of the early links still need checking.


-- Joannes Jacobus Walravens (° Gooik 1667) most probably was a son of their son Nicolaus Walravens (Meerbeke 1638 - Neigem 1692) who married Magdalena De Ro (+ Gooik 1693).

At least one source states that Joannes Jacobus was a son of Nicolaus Walravens and Maria Evenepoel themselves but, given the date of his birth, that is highly improbable. The fact that father and son both were named Nicolaus helps to understand the confusion, but further digging is required to clear up this problem (*).

Joannes Jacobus had a daughter Maria Theresia (Gooik 1700 - 1750), who became a meisenier in 1715. She married Michael Galmaert (Brussels 1690 - Gooik 1786). Their daughter Barbara Galmaert had twelve children of which Maria Josina Covens (Pamel 1759 - 1827) was the youngest. Her daughter Maria Elisabeth Van Lierde (Pamel 1790 - 1838) was the mother of Joannes De Vidts (Pamel 1811 - 1881).

I descend from his son Felix through my mother and from his daughter Antonia through my father (see "Een oude foto en een mysterie opgelost " - by the way I haven't located the photo yet. I know I have it, but that's all ...).



-- Anna Walravens was born in Meerbeke in 1636. Her son Adrianus Huylenbroeck was born in St-Kwintens-Lennik and died in Pamel in 1699. His daughter Catharina lived in Pamel from around 1685 to 1751 and was the mother of Ferdinandus Van der Sleyen (Pamel 1724 - 1810).

Ferdinand's son Michael (Pamel 1758 -1827) was the father of Maria Elisabeth Van der Sleyen (Pamel 1811 - 1860), the spouse of Joannes De Vidts. I descend from her son Felix through my mother and through her daughter Antonia through my father.

(*) In the sixteenth to eighteenth century, in Gooik and surrounding villages, intermarriages between the "pachter" families Evenepoel, Walravens, De Ro, Thienpont ... create a real warren of relations, which is not always easy to disentangle.