52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks

Ancestor # 62

Jan Francis De Vriese (1778-1820)

Jan Francis De Vriese was born in Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium about 1778ⁱ and died in Kaprijke, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium on 16 September 1820. He was the son of Engel and Maria Cornelia (Heligeer) De Vriese. He married Joanna Livinia De Beir about 1805. She was born on 19 May 1817ⁱⁱ in Eeklo, Oost Vlaanderen, Belgium, and died there on 8 Nov 1846ⁱⁱⁱ.

Jan Francis was a weaver. He died at the age of 42, 2 months before his youngest child was born. I do not know where he was born. His death record gives the location but I cannot read it. One of the challenges of doing research in Flanders is finding locations. Although Family Search.org has digitized church and vital records, very few of them have been indexed so far. So it is difficult to find records without knowing the location where your ancestor lived. And I do not know where Engel De Vriese was living when his children were born.

I also have been unable to locate a marriage record for this couple. I have checked Eeklo and Kaprijke with no luck. Joanne De Beir could have been living and working and in any number of little towns in the area and that would have been a likely location for the marriage. If anyone can help me solve these mysteries, I would be grateful.

Children of Jan Francis and Joanna Livinia (De Beir) De Vriese, all born in Kaprijke:

1. Maria Theresa De Vriese. b. 1 Apr 1806, d. 24 Nov 1846 in Eeklo, m. on 11 May 1838 in Kaprijke, Jacobus Francis Van Den Berge, b. 6 Jan 1803 in Eeklo.
2. Jan Baptiste De Vriese, b. 23 Jan 1811, d. 23 Oct 1812.
3. Victoria De Vriese, b. 13 Mar 1813.
4. Jan Baptiste De Vriese, b. 22 Aug 1815.
5. Sophie De Vriese, b. 10 Jun 1818 and d. 1 Jan 1857 in Eeklo, m. 6 May 1846 in Eeklo, Jan Baptist Cobert, b. 19 May 1817 in Eeklo and d. 30 Apr 1890 in Lembeke, OostVlaanderen, Belgium.
6. Antonia Francisca De Vriese, b. 3 Dec 1820.

i Kaprijke Municipal Records, 1796-1870, “Overlijdens 1802-1822”. Death of Joannes Franciscus De Vriese, 1820, entry #66; FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 8 Jan 2019), FHL film #784,185.

ii Eeklo Parochial Registers, 1609-1875, "Dopen,1755-1778, Begraven 1759-1770"; Baptism of Joanne Livina De Beir, 1778, p. 1785; FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 10 Jan 2019), FHL film #290,081.

iii Eeklo Municipal Records, 1796-1870; "Overlijden 1842-1850", death of Joanne Livina De Beir, 1846, entry #254; FamilySearch.org (http://www.familysearch.org : accessed 8 Jan 2019), FHL film #771,953.