October 3 1855

That was the birthday of Hermilianus Neukermans, my great-grandfather, my mother's paternal grandfather. What I know about him, my mother told me - see "De kloefkapper".

Although the family had lived in the same spot for some time (maybe even for two centuries), Hermilianus probably built the house he died in. My grandfather told me that the previous house (a wood and clay structure) burned to the ground in the late 19th century.

Hermilianus and his wife Clementina Broeckaert (Okegem 1858 - 1939) were married on April 19 1882. They had ten children. In most of the cases, I have "modernized" their Latin birth names. Except where stated otherwise they all lived and died in Okegem, and except for Bernard they all had offspring.

** Bernard Karel "Naren" (1883 - 1921) - a soldier in the first world war who died - years later - of the consequences of a gas attack ;
** Jozef Karel "Jef" (1884 - 1936) who lived in Denderleeuw ;
**Joannes Franciscus "Cis" (1886 - 1961), my grandfather (I never saw a document calling him Jan Frans) ;
** Karel Lodewijk "Lowie" (1889 - 1965) ;
** Maria Rosalia "Maria" (1891 - 1971) ;
** Blondine (1893 - 1962) who lived in Vilvoorde ;
** Joannes Amadeaus"Wentj" (1895 - 1976), who fought in the first world war (as a volunteer, I think) ;
** Maurice Jozef "Moris" (1898 - 1960) who lived in Pamel - he became an invalid but I do not remember more ;
** Aimé (1901 - 1979) who lived in Anderlecht ;
** Omer (1903 - 1992) who lived in Ninove.

Except for Naren and Jef, I knew them all.

To the best of my knowledge, at the present moment, very few of their offspring live in Okegem : I know only about one male descendant.

Hermilianus passed away on September 7 1932.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Correction : Aimé lived in Anderlecht and Omer in Ninove : as I visited both of them I never should have made this mistake.

Pablo Carpintero said...

I corrected the forementioned error as well as the year of death for Omer. Fortunately for me, some family members read my posts !