DE FAMILIE VANDERKE(I)LEN.
VOLUME I
by Jozef Smits.
After the publication of the genealogies SMITS (1977) and FAES (1983-1984) the author brings a new family history for the interested reader. This 3rd work is devoted to the memory of his mother, Louisa Van der Keilen, who died in 1985.
Besides the names and dates, mainly from parish records, civil registration and personal correspondence with present namesakes, it contains the result of research in aldermen's records, legal records, levy books, etc... This makes the people behind the names really living persons, trying to survive in an environment of wars and disasters, but also of love and Breughel-like happiness. The explicitely quoted references are limited to the latter sources, since those to the former ones would be obvious and would rather distract the reader than help him. Of course such background information will never be complete. A researcher doing this as a hobby next to his job has to limit himself in time and space. Let the references be a stimulus for further research by a possible successor. If he would let us know some of his results, we would be very happy.
It was not possible to join all namesakes in one single stock of Van der Ke(i)lens.
Nevertheless an important part of present namesakes could be connected to one ancestor. This branch is treated in Part I and will be called "Pamel-Antwerpen".
In Part II we treat the branch "St.-Katharina-Lombeek", which could be connected to the former one just before finishing the printing of the book. It was too late than to completely redesign the layout of it, so we refer to that connection in the introduction of that second Part.
Part III treats the branch with (temporary) origin in Antwerp, where the oldest ancestor could be retraced in 1633. We have found some indications that this branch also originates from Pajottenland, but hard proof is not available yet.
For the Van der Kelens from the triangle Overijse, Louvain, Brussels, the time failed to realize the connection with the other branches. In Annex IV we made a start to write down the ancestors of an "Australian Branch", originating from Overijse, as far as they were available to us. Maybe we will find the opportunity to complete this work in the future*.
An index on the surnames (without Van der Ke(i)len) completes the work. The index on Parts I and II (including Van der Ke(i)len this time) is available on this site.
There are still a few copies available. Please enquire via e-mail at the address below.
INFO: Email: j.smits_faes@pandora.be
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