May 14 1858

Jacobus Muylaert passed away in Nieuwerkerken, where he had been born on March 24 1779. He married Barbara Schouppe (Aalst 1781 - Nieuwerkerken 1857).

Their son Franciscus Muylaert (Nieuwerkerken 1818 - Denderhoutem 1888) was the second husband of Coleta Vlaeminck (Denderhoutem 1813 - 1891), who had five children with her first husband, and three with Franciscus. The oldest of the three was Blondina Muylaert (Denderhoutem 1849 - Pamel 1942), my great-grandmother.

Blondina must have known her paternal grandparents Jacobus and Barbara. She might even have told her own grandchildren, including my mother, about them. But now, nothing remains ...

Some of it could probably be dug out of the archives : where did they live exactly, what did they do : but that holds true for every single branch of my ancestors. For the time being, I still am trying to add or to extend those branches. Most probably, I shall never have the time to "put some flesh on the bones."