| Notes |
- Hendricus Lucassen, one of our grandfathers, was a carpenter. While he was engaged at the building of a church in Boekel, Holland, he met our grandmother to be, Anna Maria VanLankveld, a farmer's daughter. After their marriage they settled in Uden, Holland. They were blessed with seven children, five sons and two daughters. Grandfather died shortly after the birth of their seventh child. He was a victim of the "black fever" or it may have been "yellow fever" so prevalent in Europe at the time.
Grandmother struggled on bravely with her children, some of whom also had the disease. I recall father telling about this and other hardships they encountered.
The oldest son, Johannes (John) had learned the weavers trade. He had just had a new loom installed and was so overjoyed at the prospect of now bring able to help support his mother, and the family, that he got a stroke and died a few weeks later of paralyses, at the age of sixteen.
Petronella, the next in age became a maid servant in the city of 's-Hertogenbosch. later she married Antoon DeWilt, who was a coachman for a wealthy family in the same city. They had one son, Adrian, who becama a taylor, but later was a sexton at Saint Peter's Church in 's-Hertogenbosch. This son married Johanna M VanEngelan. Their union was blessed with one son, Adrian, who is now a priest of God ordained in Belgium, Aug. 10, 1944 during the second world war. He celebtrated his first solemn Mass in his home parish, St. Peter Church at 's-Hertogenbosch, August 20, 1949. This priestly vocation was the wish Petronella had hoped and prayed for as the vocation for her son, but the blessing was granted to her son who, at this present date, is stillin Belgium, Chaplain of the Catholic Labor Union there.
Her father died Feb. 26, 1948. The sad task of her burial was performed by this, her priest son.
Elizabeth, the second daughter married a farmer in Erp, Holland. they had only one child a daughter who died at the age of ten.
Gerardus, the second son, our father to be, became a carpenter. He followed the finer art of that trade specializing in the making of billiards and fine furniture. He was the main support of his mother until he marred at the age of twenty-six.
Martinus was teh third son. He also became a cabinet maker and was in partnership with Gerardus. He joined the volunteer army of (two unreadable words) from all Catholic countries rallied to the defense of the Papal States and the life of Pope Pius IX who was in exile. This parish is known (several unreadable words). spring.
Martinus married Everdina VanGoor the same day grandpa married. this double wedding took place September 2, 1871. They had four children, the first twins, Henry and Mary, then a daughter Anna, and later another son, Theodore. Soon after this he died of pnemonia resulting from the cold he contracted in delivering some furniture by train. His widow remarried again. Her second husband William VandenHeuvel immigraged with the entire family to America and settled in Little Chute, Wis. in 1888.
anton, the fourth son became a train-smith in Boxtel, H olland. He was engaged in that position until he retired with pension. He married Elizabeth Hoffman. They had four so ns and one daughter, all of whom were engaged in Railway employees for the same R.R. Company. Henri, the eldest of the family married Lusia VanSon. He entered hotel business in Amsterdam. Here Antoon died age seventy-two in 1932. There were two other sons, Antoon and Martinus, and a daughter Gertrude.
Johan, the youngest son was named for the eldest. He became a painter. He married Ardina Hoffmans, a sister of Elizabeth. They had three children, one son and two daughters. The son became a gold smith. The three carried on a thriving jewelry establishmens at 's-Hertogenbosch where both parents died. Johan quite young, but his wife at an advanced old age.
This roughly is the history of our father's family. Sister Mary Raymond, O.P.
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1802 - 1854 (51 years)