I've been interested in genealogy as far back as I can remember.
My father used to gather data on our ancestors in Holland, and when
he came home with his little notebook I would sit
next to him and ask questions about these people. It was fascinating.
But it wasn't until
after I came to America and after a Family History Center was established close to
my home, that I was able to dig into the records myself. And I've been digging
ever since!
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints started microfilming in the
Netherlands shortly after WWII. This was done on 35mm film - and a copy of
every film was given to the Dutch Archives.
The Church stores the original
film in a vault in the mountains near Salt Lake City, where the humidity and
temperature can be controlled. A copy of these films can be seen at the
Family History Library in Salt Lake City, or any of its Branch Libraries located
all over the world. (The Branch Libraries have to order the copies, which may take
from a few days to a few weeks, depending on location).
Addresses of Family History Centers in The Netherlands
When I was in the Netherlands a few years ago, I noticed to my dismay that
the copies of these films in the Dutch archives have all been put on 16mm film,
and are sometimes very difficult, if not impossible to read. These same records
can be ordered through a branch library, where you can view them on 35mm film - much,
much better!
My father's ancestors (van Os) are mainly from Leerdam, Zuid Holland and surrounding places.
My mother's people (Vroegh) are mainly from Herwijnen, Gelderland.
My cousin's
people (Breijer) come from Naarden and Vlaardingen.
