*** 2016 *** 2015 *** 2014 *** 2013 ***
2016 (2 January 2017)
Over the last decade it has become a custom to inform you about family affairs around New Year. Once again it will be in English to cater for our relatives abroad (Canada, Portugal).
Through FamilyNews on Facebook and email, I try to reach as many family members as I can. If you would be so kind as to please forward this newsletter to family members who are either not on my list or who do not use Facebook or email.
The Family Archive and myself in person have returned to the Parklaan 86 in Bilthoven after spending years in a container (the archive) and in San Francisco (myself). All parts of the archive have survived the trip. Unfortunately, one box is missing and it included copies of parts 1 and 2 of the Family Books. There are only 8 copies left apart from the copies you have in your possession of course. It has therefore become a collector’s item.
For this reason, the website has become more important. Last year I announced a total makeover in Wordpress. That project isa massive amount of work and therefore I am still in the process of completing it. I will let you know as soon as the new website is online.
Research into the history of our family continues. Some resultsare as follows:
– Many family members commissioned an image of the coat of arms in a drawing, seal ring, stained glass, ex libris, tatoo and/or cufflinks. These images are displayed on a new page “Afbeeldingen Nederland” in the present website.
– Count Johan August Meijerfeldt sr (1664-1747) was a member of the Riksdag in Stockholm. On my trip around the Baltic Sea in 2003 there was no time to go through all the protocols. On a recent business trip I took a day off to visit the Library. The delay of 13 years appeared to be welcome, because I could use new technology to scan the many pages referring to the Count.
[To protect privacy the details of births, marriages and deaths in our family are deleted from the original letter. The numbers for the year 2016 are 1 birth and 3 death].
2015 (28 December 2015)
This year started off with a gathering of 50 family members at the house of Herbert and Agni in Amsterdam. A similar number of family members had to miss the opportunity of participating because of snowy conditions (perhaps you remember snow: ice crystals that used to fall from the sky in light white flakes).
I forwarded a brief report through Family News, along with a photo of the familytree. The number of MBs did not make it possible to send the photo of the 50 family members. However, I will try to find a solution for this problem.
In my last News Letter I explained (in Dutch) that the story about the links Sweden-Pomerania-Holland has been updated in a new part 4 on the website www.meijenfeldt.nl. Other updates concerned the first chapters of part 2 and coat-of-arms in part 1.
I asked you to “like” this page. You did a wonderful job, especially my Greek fans are numorous smile emoticon Thanks to these “likes” I have more technical possibilities with this News Letter to my avail.
[To protect privacy the details of births, marriages and deaths in our family are deleted from the original letter. The numbers for the year 2015 are 2 births and 2 death].
2014 (2 January 2015)
How many good wishes do you have for the year 2015? The general one should of course be “Animus Secundis Dubiisque Rectus”, chin up in prosperity and misery. Your second wish should definitely be to join the first full family gathering since 1908.
That meeting will take place January 24, (between 15:00 and 17.00 hrs), Emmastraat 32, Amsterdam. After introductions and family photos, parts of the mystery around our Swedish ancestry will be revealed, followed by questions and own stories of those present.
I am writing this message to 110 members via the FamilyGroup on Facebook and 65 members via email. I realise some of you will therefore receive this message twice; better safe than sorry. Nevertheless, if you know members who are not listed, please let me know.
The number of attendees is on the increase. That is wonderful news. Around 9 people had to apologise for their absence, 7 people indicated they may turn be present, and 45 people will join. Most people in the last category have stated who will accompany them; those who have not done so yet are kindly requested to let me know their names.
Two 80+ members are joining us and 12 people are between 16 and 30 years old, therefore age is not relevant.
There is a proportional balance between the three branches of our family tree who will be attending: De Haas (10), De Koe (20) and Augustijn (15). One participant is a granddaughter of Cato von Meijenfeldt and Jan van der Tas. As far as I know, Jan’s funeral (June 16, 1908) was the last time all members of the family got together.
Unless there are changes in the plan worth mentioning, this is my last invitation to you. Still three weeks to go before your patience will be rewarded.
2013 (1 January 2014)
This e-mail is meant for all members of the family, whether they use an ij or an y, and whatever language they speak. There is already a mini summary of the family history in English on Facebook/FamilyNews. Especially our Swedish ancestors are highlighted. Now this e-mail is written in English. The number of English speaking members by birth or education is growing. A bilingual e-mail is too much to ask of me. Who will guarantee that East-Canadian, German or Swedish relatives insists on even more languages? Please inform me about members that should be added to this group or should be unsubscribed.
MODERATE GROWTH OF THE FAMILY
Part 2 of the book – about the Dutch family – appeared 20 years ago. You can still order that one (as well as part 1 about the Swedish family). Since then the births plus marriages minus deaths lead to a growth from 134 to 149; those are the members alive carrying the Dutch family name. I would call this growth moderate. Please correct my list, including children of Von Meijyenfeldts mothers and their partners. I’m asking this now, but hope that you will continue to announce family news through this group in future.
[To protect privacy the details of births, marriages and deaths in our family are deleted from the original letter, sent to the 89 members of the closed family group].
BETTER PICTURES OF PAINTINGS AND MAPS
Now, I have better pictures made for the FamilyArchive and put on the website and the photoalbums of this Familygroup.
– In the first place it concerns the original paintings of members of the Swedish noble Meijerfeldt family.
– Secondly, I found the 1694 cadastral map of the Nehringen estate in northern Germany and the 1727 cadastral map of the Söfdeborg estate in southern Sweden.
– In FamilyNews I earlier released a photo of the restored Coat of Arms on the Patronage Loge in the St. Andreas Church in Nehringen.
FAMILY GATHERING?
There are now already three members that voluntered to help organizing a family event. My move to San Francisco was not very hulpful in this respect. I will approach them again and see what can be done about it.
Please make use of this Familygroup in Facebook to spread more news about the family.
Make this part of you promises for 2014.