Galama

(October 1, 1789 Tjerkwerd - April 24, 1873 Bolsward)    Ysbrand is my great great great grandfather. We are now 5 generations back in time.  Ysbrand  is the son of  Klaas Ysbrands Galema  (1741) and  Trijntje Sjoerds Heerkes  (1746). Klaas and Trijntje have 5 children, and Ysbrand is one of them. It is an agricultural family, they all have farms. And although the family can be traced back much farther, this is the first generation where we can actually see what they look like, because we have our first photograph. Portrait photography comes into fashion in the late 1800’s. The first portrait of a Dutch person is taken in 1842 by a French photographer traveling around. Ysbrand Klazes is already 52 by that date, and we assume these photographers did not quite make it to Friesland right away, so this picture of him seated must be him at an even older age. In 1812, he is 22, he marries Ytje Jans Siemonsma (1791-1873). She is 20. The story continues at the Galema-Siemonsma Family p

February 1, 1791 Tjerkwerd - May 12, 1873 Bolsward)   Ytje is my great great great grandmother. And we have a picture of her. The first portrait of a Dutch person is taken in 1842 by a French photographer traveling around. Ytje is already 51 by that date, so this picture of her seated must be her at an even older age. Ytje is the daughter of Jan Symen Symonsma  (1735) and  Froukje Pieters (1759) . Her mother is from Blauwhuis, her father from Roodhuis, both villages in the south western part of Friesland.   In 1812, she is 20, she marries Ysbrand Klazes Galema (1789-1873).   The story continues at the Galema-Siemonsma Family page  

When Ytje Siemonsma and Ysbrand Galema marry, in 1812, they move into Westerhuis (Tjerkwerd), a farm from his parents. In 1929 they move to Half Hichtum, a farm in Bolsward, and in 1842 they move, for the last time, to Heechhout, also in Bolsward, until his death in 1873. Throughout their lives, Ysbrand acquires a rather large number of real estate. It is said that he wanted to be able to walk from Blauwhuis to Bolsward on his own land. It is not clear if this is true, but he was able to. Through inheritances and business deals, he acquires 13 farms (although I count only 12 here). In Bolsward: Heechhout (1838), Hollanderzet, Half Hichtum (1837) and Half Tjerkwerd II (1826). In Tjerkwerd: Half Tjerkwerd I (1828) Rijtseterp en Westerhuis (in herited), Senserhuis (1837), Jonkershuizen and Buwalda Stapert. In  Workum: Tichelwerk. In Nijland: Jongedijk  In Kimswerd: Winklen .   In 1869 he is the 16 th in line when it comes to paying taxes, according to the Leeuwarder Courant, and so he

   (February 24, 1821 Tjerkwerd – September 17, 1901 Bolsward) Michiel Ysbrand, is my great great grandfather. He is the fourth son of Ysbrand Klazes Galema and Ytje (also spelled Ijtje) Jans Simonsma. He was not always named Michiel Galama. Actually, he was registered as Gaele Gal e ma (note the e!). However, as a child, they apparently always called him Michiel, and not Gaele, and so over time he became Michiel. And to complicate it even further, when he marries, the person in charge of registering the marriage, by mistake, registers him as a Gal a ma, instead of a Gal e ma.  And so we have now, within one family, children named Galama and Galema. These are the only pictures we have of him. And although they seem the same, they are a bit different. As the son of a farmer, it is clear that he will become a farmer as well, just like all his siblings. His father had made sure all of his 13 children will get a farm.   On June 11, 1843, he marries Elizabeth van den Oever . He is 2

  (April 2, 1824 Bolsward – February 17, 1901 Bolsward) Elizabeth is the daughter of Jacob Bouwes van den Oever and Akke Hayes van der  Werf. She is my great great grandmother, and as such, nothing is known about her, other than this picture.   On June 11, 1843,   she marries Michiel Ysbrand Galama . She is 19, he is 22.     Their story continues at the Galama-van den Oever Family page .

When Elizabeth van den Oever marries Michiel Ysbrand Galama, in June 11, 1843 (She is 19, he is 22), they move into Half Tjerkwerd I (1843-1850), a farm procured by his father. They have 6 children.  The first 3 are born on the farm Half Tjerkwerd I   on the  Himdyk 13 in Tjerkwerd  (a djacent to Blauwhuis). Akke (they call her Agnes) (August 7 1845 – May 20 1877) Ysbrand (Oct 31, 1847 – April 15, 1886) Jacob ( June 6 1849 – February 8, 1905) Senserhus In 1850 they move to Senserhuis (1850-1875), also a farm of his father (which he will eventually inherit, in 1873),  where the other 3 children are born. Klaas (April 12, 1851 – April 24, 1927) Haye (May 6, 1853 – October 27, 1923) Jan (September 22, 1855 – May 22, 1858) And in 1875, they move yet again, this time to the farm Hollanderzet (1875-1895) . These are all farms around Tjerkwerd/Blauwhuis. Apparently he is not only frugal ,  like his father, but also a successful farmer and businessman. He is listed quite hi