HOLLAND OP DEN DYCKS.

ELBURG.

By far the larger number of American Opdyck-Updikes are descended from a Dutch family who settled in and near New York about 1660. As we have not found upon the records any mention of this family's place of origin in Holland, we have been unable to trace with certainty its ancestors there.

The writer spent the Summer of 1888 in Holland, following up various clues and making miscellaneous searches in the old records. The only family of our name that he could discover, prior to the first appearance of the Dutch Opdycks in America, was one found as early as the middle of the fourteenth century at Elburg, a very old town in the Province of Gelderland, on the eastern shore of the Zuider Zee. The archives of this town are less copious and well preserved than those of Wesel, and, while they show the continuous existence of the family at and near Elburg from the fourteenth to the seventeenth centuries, they do not furnish the material with which to trace its line consecutively down to the time of the emigration to the New World. We give the records of this Elburg family, preceded by a short sketch of the history and present appearance of the town.

Elburg is believed to owe its origin to the Romans, who are said to have had a fortress here, called Aliso Castellum. Some derive its origin through Aeliburgh, from Aelis Gracilis, an officer under the Emperor Nero. Others advance the more probable theory that the name came from apiece of high land called the El, on which the older part of the place was built. Whatever its origin, the name Elborgh was applied to the town as early as 1233, when it was ordained a city by Count Otto of Gelderland. Later the Counts and Dukes of Gelderland, within whose territory Elburg lay, granted it additional lands from time to time, gave it a dyk-brief in 1359, and confirmed its dike privileges in 1362. It was admitted in 1365 as the second city of Gelderland to the great Hanseatic League, of which Wesel also was a member. In 1394 the duke made occasional pleasure trips there, perhaps on account of the fishing and duck-hunting, which long formed the chief industries of the place. Because of its favorable situation, the town was de a fortress in 1395, and two years later it was authorized to hold two Lilt "kermesses" or fairs. Its oldest public building, the Convent of

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St. Catherine, was used as the Town Hall down to 1401, and then sold to religions sisterhood. The present Town Hall was built 1393-6 by Ared tboe Boecop, a judge of the District of Veluwe, and by him sold to the to town in 1401 for 900 Rhenish guldens. It formerly contained the city archives, all of which however, excepting some birth and marriage-registers, have been removed to the Royal Provincial Archive Office of Gelderland at Arnhem, the capital of the Province. In 1397 the town received permission to demolish its parish church, then standing outside, and to rebuild it within the walls. This church is the huge edifice now standing in the north-eastern corner of the city, and shown at the left of the illustration opposite, which is copied from an old engraving published in a history of Gelderland in 1654. Some forty years after the date of the picture the tower caught fire from a stroke of lightning, and has never been replaced. The succession to the Duchy of Gelderland was often contested by rival claimants, and the wars arising from these and other disputes involved Elburg in frequent conflicts. It was held successively for Burgundy, Saxony, Spain, and France; but in every instance was soon recaptured for Gelderland. In 1521 a bloody battle was fought near its walls, and the valiant aid of its citizens contributed largely to the victory of Gelderland over the adjacent province of Over-Yssel.

In Romish times Elburg contained many religious and charitable institutions, such as: the Convent of St. Agues, the Orphanage, the Holy Ghost Hospital, founded as early as 1335, the Leper House, several chapels, and the like. Most of these have long since disappeared or been diverted from their original uses. There were also a Mint and a Court House, whose buildings have become private dwellings. The first Protestant pastor was appointed in 1567, and received for his services a ton of butter yearly. His ministration seems not to have given complete satisfaction, for the Protestant inhabitants petitioned two years later to be relieved from the maintenance of a pastor and to be spared all " religious novelties." In 1572 "the people in a passion broke up the Catholic churches and images, and the gold and silver decorations of the priests." Six years afterwards a regular pastor was established, and a second minister appointed; since that time the town has always had two Protestant pastors to serve its church.

The city is still partly enclosed by its ancient brick wall, portions of which are doubtless remains of the original fortification of 1395. Its character shows that it must have been built before the general use of gunpowder; for, although easily defended against bowmen and archers, such a wall would offer small resistance to the most primitive artillery. Outside this wall is the ancient moat, long since disused and grass-grown. Still beyond stands a heavy earthern rampart, in the form of a rectangle, with projecting bastions at the corners, and a gate in the middle of each side. The rampart was probably designed as a protection against floods, but has sererved

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also as a fortification. It is now covered with turf, and its broad top planted with trees and laid out as a pleasant promenade. The old church stands close by the ramparts, towering above the low red roofs of the houses, and still higher above the tall trees of the promenade. Like nearly all Holland churches it is built of brick, but in spite of its defaced monuments and whitewashed walls it still has an air of majesty. It is large enough to seat the town's whole present population, and its diminished worshipers now find ample accommodation on a few wooden pews and benches. The Town Hall, almost four hundred years old, is large and massive, and seems to have suffered little alteration; its spacious interior, huge stair-way, and vaulted ceilings, testify that Elburg was once prosperous and powerful. Through the city runs a brook, which for three centuries or more has been enclosed between stone walls and crossed by five stone bridges.

It is easy to imagine the former importance of Elburg, when the sea and other water-ways formed the chief channels of Dutch commerce. Its harbor, its closely built streets and roomy houses, all give evidence that it must have driven a thriving trade with the great seaport cities over the Zuider Zee, and by a net-work of canals with many interior towns and villages. For some reasons of trade however Elburg and other towns on the Zuider Zee have long since suffered a decay. Of late years also the rail-roads have asserted their sway, and have drawn to the places along their line much of the commerce that once enriched cities on the water. Not a few of the houses are in bad repair, and some seem unoccupied, while here and there appear gaps not rebuilt. Even in summer time the streets are nearly bare of people excepting a few women and children. The houses vary little in size or shape, and for the most part are built of brick, or of brick covered with gray stucco. Time and smoke have sobered the red of the roof-tiles., and the town wears a sombre aspect. Its main street is paved with rough cobble stones, and the foot-path on each side with small white and dark pebbles arranged in pretty patterns. The long narrow vessels in the harbor have bulging prows, brown sails, and tall hinged masts that can be quickly lowered in passing under a bridge. Some of them are of iron, but the model has come down almost unchanged for the last two centuries. They seem to be lying idle, and there is little appearance of brisk activity about the place.

In the seventeenth century Elburg was described as being in a very fertile country. Now, although the fields immediately around the town are well cultivated, the district is chiefly a rolling sandy plain, thinly covered with scrubby brush and wild grass. The nearest line of railway passes inland some seven miles from Elburg, and only the less important trains stop at the little station that bears its name.

The men wear the flat low-visored cap that one sees everywhere in Hol-

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land; and the older ones are dressed in short loose jackets, heavy woolless stockings, and knee-breeches, tight at the bottom and full at the top. The costume of the peasant women is more picturesque. It consists of a close cap which conceals the hair and from the front of which a spiral coil golden wire bangs down over each temple, a bright kerchief enveloping the body, and several short full petticoats of black. The older women often wear also a scant over-dress, or "half-skirt," common in this country in the time of our grandmothers.

HOLLAND OP DEN DYCKS AT ELBURG.

1355, Sept. 26. In a parchment document of this date, executed by the Custodian of the shrine of the Three Kings in Cologne Cathedral, Albert op den Dyck is credited with having done pennance before said Custodian for some offence committed against one Lubbert Scherpinge. Albert's place of residence is not mentioned, but, as the document has been preserved as a part of the archives of Elburg, it seems more than probable that he lived in or near that city. The nature of the offence does not appear................ (Elb. Urk. A.; L. 7, no. I.)

1387, Sept. 23. The Schepens of Kampen, (an old town on the Zuider Zee about 5 miles north from Elburg), made a reconciliation between '" Wolter op den Dyck and one van Buchorst, declaring that it was before Buchorst was born that his father, as Deputy under the command of the Duke of Gelderland, put Albert op den Dyck to death and therefore they acquitted Buchorst of all responsibility in the matter. We have been able to find no op den Dycks in the records of Kampen, and, as one of Wolter's bail-bondsmen on this occasion was from the village of Oosterwolde very near Elburg, and as op den Dycks appear later in that village, it seems probable that Wolter lived there or at Elburg ........ (Register of Kampen Charters and Records, A.; I, 84.)

1402. Lease from the Duke of Gelderland to Herman op den Dyck of some land near Elburg in the Parish of Oosterwolde and extending down to the sea. The land was called "the Herman op den Dyck Farm or Estate," and was afterward spoken of as containing over 20 acres. This entry of 1402 seems to have been rather of a renewal of the lease, than of the original leasing ...... (Gelderland Lease Book, A., fol. 96, cert. cop.)

1419, Sept. 19. An entry of this date in the Lease Book shows that Albert op den Dyck assumed the lease of the same land; while subsequent entries, (of 1423, 24, 65, 73, and 81), show that Albert renewed the lease from time to time, and took new lease oaths. On some of these

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occasions he is described as the son of the late Herman op den Dyck. (Geld. Lease Bk., A.; D., fol. 121; A., fol. 255; B., fol. 267; C., fol. 174; D., fol. 121; C., fol. 121.) By an instrument, shown from its penmanship to date from the first half of the 15th century, Albert op den Dyck and Katharine his wife make their will, apparently leaving most of their property to charities ............................... (Elb. Urk. A.; L. 20, no. 22.)

1420, Dec. 12. Wolter op den Dyck, as a commissioner for partition of property, joined in a deed of land at or near Oosterwolde. The instrument bears the seal, shown in the illustration opposite ........ (Elb. Urk. A.; L. 7, no. 30.) 1425, Nov. 12. Henric op den Dyck, as a Judge at Oldebroek, (a village very near Elburg and Oosterwolde), attested a deed with his seal, bearing the same arms as those of the Wolter just mentioned, and shown in the illustration ............. (Elb. Urk. A.; L. 7, no. 11.)

1446, July 12. Albert op den Dyck and others are recited as witnesses of a deed executed by Henric Bigge and others for land near Oosterwolde ............................. (Elb. Urk. A.; L. 38, no. 18.) A loose scrap of paper found between the leaves of a volume of Elburg Court Minutes for this period, mentions Nyel as a son of Albert op den Dyck............................. (Elb. Ct. Min. A.; vol. 1.)

1449, Sept. 19. Henric and Albert op den Dyck, as members of the commonalty of Oosterwolde, join with other members in executing an instrument relating to the repair of the dikes. Henries seal is the same as that used by him in 1425; Albert's bears the same arms; see illustration......................... (Elb. Urk. A.; L. 10, no. 11.)

1453, Apr. 10. Henric op den Dyck and other members of the Dike Committee of Oosterwolde attest a contract for the repair and maintenance of the dikes. Henric used the same seal as that of 1425 and 1449. (Elb. Urk. A.),

1459. Albert op den Dyck mentioned as adjoining owner in a deed by Henric Bigge ................................ (Elb. Ct. Mina A.; vol. 1.)

1464-9. During these years the Elburg Schepens' Minute Book contains several mentions of Albert op den Dyck ....... (Elb. Sch. Book, A.)

1484, Sept. 24. "In the year of Our Lord etc. 1484, on the twenty fourth day of September, then did Gherit van Helle, Albert op den Dyck's son, allege that his eldest brother, who is Herman op den Dyck and is the tenant next in the right to his father, is non compos mentis, and therefore (the said Gherit) has, as the next eldest son and next succeeding tenant to his father, taken the aforesaid holding (the 20 acres held by the elder Herman in 1402) according to the custom of Zutphen, upon condition that he (the said Gherit) shall provide for the necessities of his said brother, so long as the latter shall live."

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In 1496 Gherit appears on the Lease Book as the heir of his father and brother, from which it appears that the latter (Herman) was then dead.

In 1501 Joost van Helle appears as the heir of Gehrit van Helle.... (Gelderland Lease Book, A.; D., fol. 121, cert. copy; Geld,. Lease Regist. 54.)

1497. Albert op den Dyck mentioned as dead... (Elb. Town Min., A.; 175.

1498. Alyt op den Dyck, the deceased wife of Henric van Donzeler an' apparently a daughter of Albert op den Dyck, is mentioned.... (Elb Town Min., A.; cop.)

1542. Wolter op den Dyck mentioned in the Municipal Account Book of the Garrison Expense at Elburg....... (Elb. MSS., A.; L. 28, no. 175)

1557. Wolter op den Dyck was a Schepen of Elburg, and from May to July of this year his wife Eve Boese and his daughter Hylle (married Bigge) were concerned in a law-suit. . . . (Elb. Ct. Min., A)

1559, February. The Elburg Court Minutes contain several mentions Wolter op den Dyck; once as Burgomaster, once as Schepen, an twice as Sheriff. Of the two mentions of Wolter as Sheriff, (bot '' occurring on the same page and referring necessarily to the same man), one has his name spelled "uppen Dyck" (contracted form "op den Dyck "), and the other, simply "Dyck". (Elb. Ct: Min., A.)

While they contain no further entries of the name op den Dyck, the records of Elburg now begin to mention a family bearing the name Dyck and not found prior to this entry of Wolter as op den Dyck and as Dyck. These facts together with the occurrence among the Dycks of some of the same baptismal names borne by the op den Dycks, lead us to believe that the two families were identical, and that they shortened the name op den Dyck (on or at the Dike) to Dyck (Dike). We accordingly give the mentions that we have found of the name Dyck. We give also the entries of two men who appear only under their patronymic names,-names that suggest a connection with Louris Jansen-, the father of Johannes Louwrensen Opdyck, the ancestor of the Dutch-American Opdyck-Updikes.

1559, February. Henric Dyck mentioned............ (Elb. Ct. Min., A.)

1596, 1614-15, 18-25, 27, 29, 31. In these years Albert Dyck appears at Elburg as concerned in law-suits, and as adjoining owner etc. In the last entry his name is given in full, Albert Berntsen Dyck, that is, Albert the son of Bernard Dyck........ (Elb. Ct. Min., A.; Elb. Bk. of Charters, A.)

1600. In an Oosterwolde tax-list of about this date appear the names of Bernardina Dyck, and Albert Dycks Heirs..... (Elb. MSS., A.; 19, no. 29.)

1602, Sept. 18. Johan Louwrensen, aged 62 years, testified in the Elburg

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Court. He may have been the father of our Louris Jansen, whose father must have been a Johan (Jan) and would probably have been (from the fact that he named his son Louris) a Louwrensen (the son of a Louris)................................... (Elb. Ct. Min., A.)

1603-17. During these years Bernard Dyck is several times mentioned at Elburg as concerned in court proceedings and as adjoining owner of land................ (Elb. Ct. Min., A.; Elb. Bk. of Charters, A.) He may have been the father of the Albert Bernsten Dyck mentioned under 1596 and the following years.

1617, Oct. 29. Gert Dyck was concerned in a petty case before the Elburg Court....................................... (Elb. Ct. Min., A.)

1635, Dec. 10.Louwre Jansen (that is, Louris the son of Johan) had a daughter baptised Mette in the Elburg Church ......... (Elb. Bapt. Reg., Elb. ) This may have been Louris Jansen the father of Johannes Opdyck.

1636, Oct. 2. Jan Laeven or Lauren (the entry is indistinct) Dyck had a daughter baptised Lubbegen in the Elburg Church...... (Elb. Bapt. Reg., Elb.) Lauren is probably a shortened form of Laurensen or Louwrensen, and this man may have been the father of our Johannes's father Louris Jansen. See above under 1602.

1636, Nov. 15 Henric Dyck sold to Anna Beniers his twelfth share in a house, a like share in which had previously been sold to her by Albert Dyck. The inference is that Albert and Henric were both sons of Bernard Dyck......................... (Elb. Bk. of Charters, A.)

1637, Feb. 26. Aert Dyck was paid 430 guldens on a debt due him from the city of Elburg......................... (Elb. Misc. MSS., A.)

1638, Jan. 19. The child of Jan and Goeffertgen Dyck had two guardians appointed .................. (Elb. Bk. of Heirs and Guardians, A.)

1638, June 22. The Governors of the Elburg Orphanage sold to Anna Beniers the sixth share (in the house above mentioned) which they had received on the entrance into the Orphanage of Albert Dycks two children .......................... (Elb. Bk. of Charters, A.)

1639, July 27. Jan Dyck mentioned in connection with a debt of 6 florins paid to or out of the estate of one Sanderson.......... (Elb. Bk. of Estates, A.)

1644, Jan. 12. Aert Lubbertsen Dycks heirs (that is the heirs of Aert the son of Lubbert Dyck) appear as adjoining owners of land near Oldenbroek.................... (Oldenbrk. Ct. Min., Oldbrk.; II. 155.)

1651,. From entries of this year in the Minutes of the Elburg Orphans' Court and in the "Old" Elburg Book of Charters, it appears that a Deric Jansen Dyck was then dead; that his widow was Elsken Mensen; and that he had two sons, Jan (living) and Eybert (dead),

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and several married daughters. The minute books cited are in the Archive Office at Arnhem.

1652, Dec. 25. In a partition deed of this date, Margaret, the wife of the late Deric Jansen Dycks son Jan, is mentioned.... (Elb. "Old" Bk of Charters, A.)

Although less full than we could wish, these records of the Elburg op den Dycks are quite as complete as those of the town generally that have been preserved. In fact, such old, continuous, and copious records as the writer was so fortunate as to find belonging to Wesel, have not been met by him elsewhere.

The recurrence of the baptismal names, Louris, Johan, and Albert among the op den Dycks of Elburg, strongly suggests their connection with our Louris, Johannes, and Albert, of the first, second and third generations of Opdycks in America. Still some future discovery may possibly rev other op den Dycks in Holland as our ancestors. Any further investigations in this direction however need not and probably will not be made unless chance shall bring to light some record in America mentioning a town other than Elburg as being the place in Holland from which ancestor Louris came to America. In that case, the future investigation will be guided in his work, and spared the immense labor of searching at random among the many records of all the Holland provinces. The writer searched incidentally and without success the church registers of Borculo in Gelderland, of Amersfoort in Utrecht, of Wormer in North-Holland, and of Grave, Sprange, and Kaatkeuwe in North-Brabant. It is in North-Brabant, the province adjoining both Gelderland and Cleves, that the Wesel op den Dycks are believed to have originated,- at a time however earlier than any records now in existence there. It is to Gelderland alone that the writer has been directed by reference to op den Dycks in Dutch genealogical authorities.

The good fortune of proving an ancestry from son to father through eight ascending generations in Europe, running from the 17th, century back to the 13th, as we were enabled to do at Wesel, can hardly be expected again.. Published American genealogies seldom give further proof of European ancestry than the existence of a family of the same name, bearing a handsome coat-of-arms. To such evidence we can in our case add the probabilities arising from the rarity of our surname, the failure to discover it elsewhere in Holland, and the recurrence of the same baptismal names both in Holland and in America.

THE PRESENT HOLLAND OPPEDYK FAMILY.

In the course of his genealogical search in Germany and Holland, the writer made numerous efforts to find existing families of our name, but suc-

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ceeded in bringing to light only two such families. Both of these live in Holland, in the northern and very ancient province of Friesland, and both employ the spelling Oppedyk, a form frequently found as applied to the op pen Dycks of Wesel and Elburg.

One of these Frisian families began to use the name only at the beginning of this century, in compliance with an edict issued by Napoleon when he occupied and governed the country, requiring the inhabitants, who were commonly known only by patronymic names (such as Jansen etc.), to choose and thenceforward to use proper surnames.

The other family has lived continuously for nearly 250 years in the little town of Ylst, situated in a rich grazing country not far south from Leeuwarden, the capital of the province of Friesland. The earliest appearance of the Oppedyks here is in 1654, when one Melys Jans op de Dyck was admitted to citizenship, 23 Dec. His place of origin does not distinctly appear, but an examination of the record seems to show that he came from the neighboring town of Akkrum. A visit to Akkrum failed to discover any records there old enough to furnish any information as to the early history of this family. It is believed to be of pure and ancient Frisian origin, but has no traditions earlier than the date just given.

The present head of the family is Mr. Walle Melis Oppedyk. After being for many years a member of the Provincial Legislature of Friesland, he was in 1888 elected to the Second Chamber or House of Representatives of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He inherited and still conducts an old and prosperous business in lumber, and is a considerable land-owner, highly respected throughout the province. His portrait and those of his three children are given in the illustration opposite. The eldest daughter, Sjoerdina Amelia, (whose portrait stands next that of her father), was born in 1867, and recently married Mr. Wilhelm Carstens of Schleswig. Both Mr. Oppedyk and his daughters are exceptionally tall and of fine proportions; he was born in 1834, and married in 1859 Titia Catharina Tjebbes of the town of Hindeloopen, not far from Ylst.

His father Melis Oppedyk, was born in 1805 and died in 1880. His grandfather, Walle Melis Oppedyk, died in 1811, having been Burgomaster of Ylst from 1802 to 1810.

The name of the town is written Ijlst in Dutch, that language having no letter Y. In like manner the name op den Dyck appears on the Dutch records as op den Dijk; it so appears too on many of the old Wesel records, and even in the autograph of Gysbert, the first American settler of the Wesel family. The ij, in writing, does not differ from a y dotted.