Johannes Theodorus Ro(o)sen (b 1764)

parents:
Petrus Rosen & Maria Sibylla Rink



born: 23 October 1764 Aldenhoven, Germany[3]
baptised:
23 October 1764 Aldenhoven, Germany[1,2,3]
died:
19 June 1839 Harderwijk, Gelderland, NL[11]
buried: 29 June 1839 Harderwijk, Gelderland, NL[11]



married (1):
2 November 1794 Harderwijk, Gelderland, NL[4]
Antonia Maria Peters
born:
13 August 1771 Eijmeren, Oost Brabant, NL[5]
baptised:15 August 1771Roman Catholic Church Eijmeren, Oost Brabant, NL[22]
died:
14 May 1820 Harderwijk, Gelderland, NL[6]

Children:
Petronella
Petrus Josephus Agatha Sara

Antonius Josephus Maria Sebilla

Elisabeth Petronella


married (2):
9 August 1823 Harderwijk, Gelderland, NL[6]
Johanna Elisabeth Leenen
born:
3 April 1790 Eerbeek, Gelderland, NL[6,12]
died:
5 January 1856 Harderwijk, Gelderland, NL[12]

Children:
Antonia Helena
Henderikus Kornelis
Wilhelmina Johanna

Josephus Eligius




Biography

Johannes Theodorus Rosen was born on 23 October 1764 and baptised at St Martinus Roman Catholic Church, Aldenhoven, Rheinland Westfalen, Germany on the same day.  He was the only son of Petrus Rosen and Maria Sibylla Rinck who also had four daughters.  

His godparents were named as Johannes Theodor Krichel and Petronella Malmathir – perhaps an aunt (his grandmother was Maria Joanna Malmethier)[1].


Johannes Theodorus' baptism entry


Johannes Theodorus' extract of birth from Aachen

Sometime before 1794, Johannes Theodorus emigrated to Harderwijk in the Netherlands.  We don’t know exactly why he left Aldenhoven but this was the time of the Napoleonic Wars.  The south-western part of Germany was regularly criss-crossed by armies and young men would be always liable for conscription into one or another army.  Perhaps Gelderland was a safer place?

Another reason may have been employment.  Perhaps there were tough economic circumstances in Aldenhoven, his parents were poor[23].  Harderwijk was a prosperous town, a member of the Hanseatic Trading League in the Middle Ages, and may have offered more employment opportunities than Aldenhoven.

I have also wondered why a young Roman Catholic man would emigrate to a town that was overwhelmingly Protestant.  It has been pointed out to me that in the 1700s, a number of Roman Catholic people of German origin moved to Harderwijk[20].  Referance  21, a register of "recognised" town citizens of Harderwijk, shows quite a few names originating in nearby German regions such as Toebes (from Südlohn), Lütkenhaus (from Stadtlohn), Sicking, Sikken, Dechering and Bensing (from Vreden), etc.  Could Johannes have been aware that a German Roman Catholic community existed in Harderwijk and that was also an attraction for him?

Once he was living in Harderwijk, he was generally known as Theodorus but sometimes recorded also as Doris, Dorus or Dores.


First Marriage - Antonia Maria Peters
In 1794, Johannes Theodorus married Antonia Maria Peters at the Harderwijk Roman Catholic Church[4].


Marriage entry from the Roman Catholic Church Book, Harderwijk 1794


Antonia was born on 13 August 1771 and baptised at the Roman Catholic church in Eijmeren on 15 August.  Her parents were Antoon Peters and Pertonella Rigoor[5,22].  On Antonia's death certificate her mother's surname is stated as "Regoor"[5].  The town of Eijmeren is now known as Eimeren and lies close to Elst in Gelderland.


Antonia Maria's baptism entry


Google Maps

Antonia Maria was born in Eijmeren but it is not known how found her way to Harderwijk or how she met Johannes Theodorus.

The Burgerboek of Harderwijk 1795 (a register of citizens in the city) recorded Dores Rosen living at De Hoog-en Groote Poorts Straat 198[16].  

The civic register of 1811 recorded Doris Roosen, occupation Menuisier (Carpenter)[14].  Reference 15 recorded Doris Roosen as the head-of-the-house at Luttekepoortstraat 332 (now no 8) in 1812.


Antonia died young
Antonia died on 14 May 1820 at 10.00am aged only 48 years.  Her death was reported on the 15th by Johannes Theodorus.   Antonia died at their home at Luttekepoortstraat 332 in Harderwijk[5].  Johannes Theodorus’ (Doris) occupation was stated as Carpentry Joiner (Schrijnwerker).


From Antonia Maria Peters' death certificate



Luttekepoortstraat, Harderwijk



Second Marriage - Johanna Elisabeth Leenen

Johanna Elisabeth Leenen was born in Eerbeek, Gelderland and her parents were Mathijs Leenen (died 1800, Voorst, Gelderland) and Hendrina Smits (died 1818, Voorst, Gelderland)[6,18].


Johanna Elisabeth's baptism entry in the Eerbeek Roman Catholic Church book.


When Johannes and Johanna Elisabeth Leenen were married in 1823, he was noted as being the widower of Antonia Maria Peters and he was already 58 years old[6].  Johanna was 33 years old. 


Johannes Theodorus and Johanna Elisabeth's marriage entry in the Harderwijk Roman Catholic Church book




Their marriage certificate notes Johannes as a widower

Johanna Elisabeth was working in Harderwijk as a Servant (Dienstmeid) at the time of their marriage.  Johannes was still working as a Carpentry Joiner.

Their marriage certificate included 7 addenda:-
  • Johannes Theodorus’ extract of birth from Aldenhoven
  • certificate stating the death of Antonia Maria Pe(e)ters
  • certificate stating the death of Johannes Theodorus’ father, Petrus Rosen
  • certificate stating the death of Johannes Theodorus’ mother, Maria Sibylla Rinck
  • Johanna Elisabeth’s extract of birth
  • certificate stating the death of Johanna Elisabeth’s father
  • certificate stating the death of Johanna Elisabeth’s mother

When Johannes Theodorus and Johanna Elisabeth were married, she was already five months pregnant with her first child, Antonia Helena. Johanna Elisabeth moved into Johannes’ home at Luttekepoortstraat 332 and they were living there when their 2nd and 3rd children were born in 1826 and 1828[7,8].

According to the Harderwijk 1830 Census, the family was still living at Luttekepoortstraat 332[9].  Johannes was 65 years old and his occupation was now noted as Cabinetmaker.  Johanna Elizabeth was 39 years of age.  Living with them were their first three children – Antonia Helena, Henderikus Kornelis and Wilhelmina Johanna.  The family’s religion was stated to be Roman Catholic.

Also living with them was Maria Jordaan, a 23 year old Servant.  When Josephus Eligius was born in 1831 the family was still living at Luttekepoortstraat 332[10].

Also, according to the Harderwijk Census of 1840, Johanna Elisabeth (now widowed) together with Antonia Helena, Henderikus Kornelis, Wilhelmina Johanna and Josephus Eligius were still living at the Luttekepoortstraat 332 house[13].  Things must have been rather cramped since the census also reported five other people living at the same address.


Luttekepoortstraat (south end)


Luttekepoortstraat (north end)
The street numbering in Harderwijk has changed twice since this time (in 1850 and again in 1910).

In 1840, the number was 38 and the Bevolkingsregister (inhabitants register) of 1840-1850 noted that the head of the household was a Cabinetmaker[17].  After 1850 the number was changed to 8[19].  The original house no longer exists.


Harderwijk map of 1830s but with house numbers shown for ca 1850[18].
Number 332 highlighted.  Note also, the large garden area ("Tuin van 332") behind the house.


Passing On
Johannes Theodorus died in Harderwijk on 19 June 1839 at 11.00 in the evening aged 74 years at his Luttekepoortstraat home[11].  He was buried on 29 June.  It appears that he lived in the one home for all of his married life and worked as a Joiner and Cabinetmaker in Harderwijk.


Johannes Theodorus Roosen death certificate


Johannes Theodorus Roosen burial entry in the Harderwiijk Catholic Church book


Johanna Elisabeth died in Harderwijk at the Luttekepoortstraat home on 5 January 1856 aged 65 years[12].


Johanna Elisabeth Leenen death certificate




Rosen / Roosen
This is the last time we see our family name spelled as Rosen in the Netherlands. On all of his children’s baptismal entries, birth, marriage and death certificates, the name is spelled as Roosen (except in his first child's baptism entry it is spelled Roossen).  All references to his children have their surname as Roosen.  This is likely to be the transition, over a short period of time, to a Dutch pronounciation of family name which originated in Germany.


References
1
Registers of St Martinus Roman Catholic Church, Aldenhoven
2
International Genealogy Index, Batch No C995591
3
 Johannes Theodorus Roosen extract of birth
4
Johannes Theodorus and Antonia Maria Peters marriage entry
5
Antonia Maria Peters’ death certificate
6
Johannes Theodorus and Johanna Elisabeth Leenen marriage certificate
7
Henderikus Kornelis Roosen b 1826 birth certificate
8
Wilhelmina Johanna Roosen b 1828 birth certificate
9
1830 Harderwijk Census
10
Josephus Eligius Roosen b 1831 birth certificate
11
Johannes Theodorus Roosen death certificate
12
Johanna Elisabeth Leenen death certificate
13
1840 Harderwijk Census
14
Harderwijk – Register Civique 1811
15
Namen van de Hoofden de Huisgezinnen Benevens de Nummers en Perceelen der Stad Harderwyck 1812
16 Burgerboek Harderwijk 1795, page 25.
17 Harderwijk Bevolkingsregister 1840-1850
18 Eerbeek Roman Catholic churchbook, www.regionaalarchiefzutfen.nl
19 Karel Uittien - personal communication May 2005
20Pau Bensing, private communication, 3 August 2011
21
http://www.streekarchivariaat.nl/pdf/Burgerboek-Harderwijk-1572-1808.pdf 
22Antonia Maria Peters baptism record, Eimeren, Elst
23Aldenhoven Im Jahre 1799, Willi Doven & Gunter Bers, 1997