52 Ancestors Week 35 - Catherina Casteleyn

When Joanna Catherina Casteleyn was born on February 27, 1817, in Sint-Maria-Lierde, Oost-Vlaanderen, Belgium to Josephus Casteleyn and Carolina Boembeke. She had three brothers and five sisters.

She married Pieter Francies DeValkeneer on July 5, 1848, in her hometown. They had four children during their marriage.

 *****
 Parents:
Josephus Casteleyn 1777–?
Carolina Boembeke 1783–1825

Siblings:
Franciscus Casteleyn 1805–?
Felix Albert Casteleyn 1806–?
Felicitas Casteleyn 1808–?
Jean Baptist Casteleyn 1810–?
Felicite Casteleyn 1813–?
Amelia Casteleyn 1815–?
Anna Theresia Casteleyn 1822–?
Melovia Casteleyn 1825–?

Spouse
Pieter Francies DeValkeneer 1815–?

Children:
Anna Theresia DeValkeneer 1849–1869
Vitalis DeValkeneer 1851–?
Renilde DeValkeneer 1853–?
Cyrille DeValkeneer 1856–1941

52 Ancestors Week 32- Pieter Francis DeValkeneer

So far in this 52 Ancestors challenge I have completed a profile on all of my great-grandparents, and my great-great-grandparents. Now I have moved on to my 3x great-grandparents. Each person has 32 of these, and it's week 32, so that's the theme.

One of my 3x great-grandparents is Pieter Francis DeValkeneer. Until 2 years ago we didn't know who this was. We had information about his son Cyrille, but not who his father was. Then someone on one of the many helpful genealogy sites mentioned that the Belgian Archives had a website, and while it has much of the same digital images as Family Search, they are broken down into more manageable chunks to look through, and they have a few more of them. So, I looked through these images and found lots of information on my Belgian roots, including who my 3x great-grandparents were on that side of the family.

Pieter Francis DeValkeneer was born on April 18, 1815, in Sint-Martens-Lierde, Belgium. He was the son of Catharina Van Den Bossche and Judocus DeValkeneer. Just over a year after his birth, Pieter's father died, and his mother died when he was 14.

On July 5, 1848, in Sint-Maria-Lierde, Belgium, Pieter married Joanna Catherina Casteleyn. Because Pieter was an orphan, both sets of his grandparents were named in his marriage record (score!).

Together Pieter and Catherina had 4 children, of which Cyrille (my 2x great-grandfather) was the youngest.

I don't yet know when he died, but I'm still looking.

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Parents
Judocus DeValkeneer 1782–1816
Catharina Van Den Bossche 1787–1829

Spouse:
Joanna Catherina Casteleyn 1817–?


Children:
Anna Theresia DeValkeneer 1849–1869
Vitalis DeValkeneer 1851–?
Renilde DeValkeneer 1853–?
Cyrille DeValkeneer 1856–1941

52 Ancestors Week 18 - Frances Hermans

Actually, her birth name was Maria Francisca Heiremans, but it was simplified/changed upon immigrating to America.
Frances was born June 11, 1858 in Langdorp, Belgium. Her parents were Josephus Heiremans and Maria Josepha Pairoux. In 1880, she gave birth to a son, Joseph, in Antwerp. At his birth he wasn't listed as having a father, but soon after Cyrille DeValkeneer was amended onto the birth record as the father. Cyrille and Frances were married in Antwerp on September 8, 1881. They had 10 more children while living in various parts of Belgium. They lived in Antwerp until sometime between 1895 and 1897, at which time they moved to Charleroi and it's suburbs.

In 1912 they immigrated to America, moving to Washington County, Pennsylvania. Their 2 older living daughters had married, and one stayed behind permanently with her husbands family, while the other brought her husband and children to join the DeValkeneers in America within 2 years.
Frances DeValkeneer died in her home at Raccoon, PA September 30, 1934 following a protracted illness. She was survived by her husband, 6 sons, and 3 daughters.

 

******
Parents:
Josephus Heiremans (1827 – ?)
Maria Josepha Pairoux (1829 – ?)

Siblings:
Nicolaus Josephus Pairoux (1853 – ?)
Wirina Heiremans (1860 – ?)
Maria Cheresia Heiremans (1864 – ?)
Francois Heiremans (1870 – ?)

Spouse:
Cyrille DeValkeneer (1856 – 1941)

Children:
Joseph DeValkeneer (1880 – 1966)
Maria Josepha DeValkeneer (1882 – ?)
Louis Andre' DeValkeneer (1883 – 1971)
Cecilia Marie DeValkeneer (1886 – 1971)
Maria Celestina DeValkeneer (1887 – ?)
Marie (Ludovica) Louise DeValkeneer (1890 – 1974)
Victor DeValkeneer (1892 – 1975)
Camille Peter DeValkeneer (1895 – 1962)
Vital DeValkeneer (1897 – 1965)
Jeanne Helene DeValkeneer (1899 – 1900)
Alfred Joseph DeValkeneer (1902 – 1979 )

52 Ancestors Wk 10 - Adele Pireaux

Adele Pireaux was born May 5, 1903 in Primrose Pennsylvania. She was the daughter of Emile and Irma Pireaux, who had recently immigrated from Belgium (the 4th of 8 kids).

On Octoer 30, 1922 she married Vital DeValkeneer. They had 4 children, 3 girls and a boy.


She died August 25, 1940 at the age of 37 of lobar pneumonia and pulmonary abscess. Her youngest child was only 2.

 *****
Parents:
Emile Francois Joseph Piraux (1871 – 1929)
Irma Henri (1872 – 1947)

Siblings:
Helene Piraux (1897-1899)
Marcelin Leopold Joseph Piraux (1899-1910)
Josephine Maria Piraux (1901-1953)
Joseph Pireaux (1905-?)
Louise Pireaux (1907-?)
Amil (Emile) J. Pireaux (1911-1977)
Ector Piraux (1914-?) 

Spouse:
Vital DeValkeneer (1897-1965)

Children:
Frances Erma DeValkeneer (1923-1979
Alma Celestine DeValkeneer (1930-1980)
Marlene Magdalene DeValkeneer (1934-2008)
Donald Eddie DeValkeneer (1938-2015)

52 Ancestors Wk 7 - Vital DeValkeneer

Vital DeValkeneer was born on Christmas Day, 1897 in Gilly, Belgium. At the age of 14 he immigrated to the US with is family. His father and older brother came first, then the rest came a few months later. They came into America in Apr 1912 on the S. S. Carmania sailing from Liverpool, England. They immediately moved to Pennsylvania.

In 1920 they became naturalized citizens, through his father Cyrille's application. At the time he was working as a coal miner along with several of his brothers. Then in 1922 he married Adele Piraux, the daughter of other Belgian immigrants. By this time he was a barber, and by the 1930 census he owned a barbershop. Then during the depression he ended up going back to work in the coal mines and in the 1940 census is listed as a coal operator.

He lived in Pennsylvania for many years, until a few months prior to his death when moved to West Virginia to be closer to his children. He died in Wierton, WV on 16 Mar 1965, from lung cancer (probably because of years in the coal mines)

******
Parents:
Cyrille DeValkeneer (1856-1941)
Maria Francisca Heiremans (1858-1934)

Siblings:
Joseph DeValkeneer (1880-1966)
Maria Josepha DeValkeneer (1882-?)
Louis Andre DeValkeneer (1883-1971)
Cecilia Marie DeValkeneer (DeCook) (1886-1971)
Maria Celestina DeValkeneer (DeRicter) (1887-?)
Marie Louise DeValkeneer (Vandenderg) (1890-1974)
Victor DeValkeneer (1892-1975)
Camille Peter DeValkeneer (1895-1962)
Jeanne Helene DeValkeneer (1899-1900)
Alfred Joseph DeValkeneer (1902-1979)

Spouse: Adele Pireaux (1903-1940)

Children:
Frances Erma DeValkeneer (1923-1979)
Alma Celestine DeValkeneer (1930-1980)
Marlene Magdalene DeValkeneer (1934-2008)
Donald Eddie DeValkeneer (1938-2015)

52 Ancestors - Cyrille DeValkeneer

Last month I stumbled across an interesting blog series/challenge 52 Ancestors, at No Story Too Small. I was happy to hear that she was doing it again this year. I may or may not follow the weekly themes, but I will certainly try to participate each week.

This weeks theme is 'Fresh Start'. My great great grandfather was Cyrille DeValkeneer. He and his family immigrated to the US from Belgium. Talk about a fresh start, it's a whole new country.

Cyrille was born on August 3, 1856 in the small town of Sint-Maria-Lierde, East Flanders, Belgium. He was the youngest of 4 children (girl, boy, girl, boy...just like my family). His parents were Pieter Francies De Valkeneer and Joanna Catharina Casteleyn.

He grew up to become a shoemaker, and on September 8, 1881 he married Maria Francisca Heiremans in Antwerp. Together they had 11 children, 6 boys and 5 girls. Two of the girls did not survive into adulthood.

Sometime between 1895 and 1897 the family moved from Antwerp to Charleroi and it's suburbs. Then 1911 he, his wife, and 7 of his children immigrated to America. Two of the daughters did not immigrate with the rest of the family. One came a few years later with her husband and children, the other stayed in Antwerp with her husband.

In America they moved to Pennsylvania, where they knew other Belgians. The lived primarily in Raccoon, PA, which is near the West Virginia and Ohio borders. Cyrille bought a house in the Smith Township in 1914. He became a citizen in February of 1920.

In 1941, he died on Christmas Day at the home of his daughter Louise, just after dinner.

From my understanding, all of his siblings remained in Belgium and France. I have found distant cousins in France that are descendants of his oldest sister. The internet is certainly making family history connections easier.

**************
Parents:
Pieter Francies De Valkeneer (1815-?) of Sint-Martens-Lierde, Belgium
Joanna Catherina Casteleyn (1817-?) of Sint-Maria-Lierde, Belgium

Siblings:
Anna Theresia De Valkeneer (1849-1869)
Vitalis DeValkeneer (1851-?)
Renilde DeValkeneer (1851-?)

Wife:
Maria Francisca Heiremans (1858-1934) born in Langdorp, Belgium; died in Joffre, Washington, PA

Children:
Joseph DeValkeneer (1880-1966)
Maria Josepha DeValkeneer (1882-?)
Louis Andre DeValkeneer (1883-1971)
Cecilia Marie DeValkeneer (DeCook) (1886-1971)
Maria Celestina DeValkeneer (DeRicter) (1887-?)
Marie Louise DeValkeneer (Vandenderg) (1890-1974)
Victor DeValkeneer (1892-1975)
Camille Peter DeValkeneer (1895-1962)
Vital DeValkeneer (1897-1965) --my great grandfather
Jeanne Helene DeValkeneer (1899-1900)
Alfred Joseph DeValkeneer (1902-1979)

Military Monday: Camille Peter DeValkeneer

My great granduncle, Camille De Valkeneer, was born in Antwerp Belgium Oct 7 1895. He was called "Pete" because he was so small at birth. He immigrated to America in 1912 with his family, he was 17. They moved to Pennsylvania, where he worked as a laborer and coal miner. In 1917 he registered for the draft. He was called to service for World War I, and became a citizen while in boot camp in Georgia. After the war he returned to the Pennsylvania/West Virginia area and married Rena Watlet in 1920. They had 3 children. He died in 1962 and was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

The Cyrille DeValkeneer Family

 Meet Cyrille De Valkeneer and his family (at least those living at this time).

 

Cyrille was born 3 Aug 1856 in Sint-Maria-Lierde, Belgium. He was the son of Pieter Francies DeValkeneer and Joanna Catherina Casteleyn. On 8 Sep 1881 in Antwerp, Belgium, he married Maria Francisca Heiremans. She was born 10 Jul 1858 in Langdorp, Belgium, and was the daughter of Josephus Heiremans and Maria Josepha Parioux.

Together they had 11 children. Joseph DeValkeneer, (5 Jan 1880-8 Mar 1966), Maria Josepha DeValkeneer (8 Jan 1882-???), Louis Andre DeValkeneer (16 Sep 1883-8 Mar 1971), Cecilia Marie DeValkeneer (5 Feb 1886-27 Feb 1971), Maria Celestina DeValkeneer (20 Dec 1887-???), Maria Louise DeValkeneer (29 Mar 1890-1 Sep 1974), Victor DeValkeneer (12 Aug 1892-6 Feb 1975), Camille Peter DeValkeneer (7 Oct 1895-15 Jan 1962), Vital DeValkeneer (25 Dec 1897-16 Mar 1965), Jeanne Helene DeValkeneer (9 Dec 1899-24 Apr 1900), Alfred Joseph DeValkeneer (16 Dec 1902-29 Dec 1979).

Cyrille was a shoemaker. He and Frances lived in Antwerp until around 1896, then moved to the Charleroi, Belgium area. In 1911 and 1912 the family made their way from Belgium to Pennsylvania, USA. By then Cecilia and Celestina had married. Cecilia and her husband immigrated in 1914 to America, but Celestina and her husband stayed in Belgium (hence the photograph of her in the family photo). Two other daughters, Jeanne Helene and Maria Josepha, had died in Belgium. In Pennsylvania, the family was mostly farmers and miners.

Maria Francisca Heiremans (more commonly known in America as Frances Hermans) died 30 Sep 1934, and Cyrille DeValkeneer died 25 Dec 1941 in the home of his daughter Louise (kind of a bummer Christmas for them I think).

 

 

 

***

Proof:

In researching the family, I have found birth certificates for each person listed here in the Belgian Archives, also found on FamilySearch. I have the marriage record for Cyrille and Maria Francisca, and several of the children (in America). There are passenger lists for the family's crossing to America (May 1911 Mauretania, and Apr 1912 Carmania), and Cyrille's naturalization application (Feb 1920). I also have 2 obituaries for Cyrille that list his surviving family.

Who Are August Vandenberg's Parents?

My great-grand-aunt Louise DeValkeneer married a man named August Vandenberg in 1913. From what I have found, he was born in Belgium and moved to America as a small child. He married Louise in Pennsylvania, probably Allegheny county. I haven't been able to find their marriage license yet.

One thing we don't yet know is who his parents are. But I have a working theory.

In the 1900 census for Allegheny County we find a family of Vandenbergs, from Belgium, with a child named August, the right age of my guy. The parents are Campbell and Predan. There are 3 other siblings listed: Alice, Gusty, and Emma.

 

 

In 1910 we find the same family again. Parents are Campbell and Prudant, and the kids are August, Gustave, Emma and Leo. Alice would be old enough to be married by now, or she may have died.

 

 

Then in 1920 in Allegheny County we find August Vandenberg married to my relative Louise. We also see that just a few doors down from them is Gusti Vandenberg and his wife.

 

 

Could this be the same family? I think so. Hopefully I will soon be able to find the marriage record for Louise and August and hopefully it has his parents names on it. But for now I am just penciling them in, and will continue to look for evidence that Campbell and Prudant are my August's parents.