October 26 1691 (1)

On that day Adrianus Van der Sleyen died in Pamel. With his first spouse, Joanna De Troyer ( + Pamel 1664) he had a son Judocus (Pamel 1652 - 1704). They were poor people in very difficult and harsh times, and they were assisted by the parish.

The family has lived in the Piezelstraat/Koestraat for centuries. Gasparus (Pamel 1686 - 1749), a son of Judocus, lived there too. Gasparus was the father of Ferdinandus (Pamel 1724 - 1810).

Ferdinandus had a son, Michael (Pamel 1758 - 1827) who married late, but had six children nevertheless. He was one of the people living in the Piezelstraat who were taken to court for grabbing some public land on the roadside. How many farmers have ploughed over public paths, even in our lifetime ?

His youngest child was Maria Elisabeth Van der Sleyen, my great-great-grandmother on my mother's side through her son Felix De Vidts and my great-great-great-grandmother on my father's side through her daughter Antonia De Vidts (see various earlier including "Strictly for fun", "August 27 1881", "July 22 1860", "Een oude foto en een mysterie opgelost").