The ancestors of our families primarily worked as farmers or day laborers. Though not many stories remain from earlier generations, there are some beautiful tales that we can share. One of the oldest stories is about my great-great grandfather, Lange Willem Schoonveld, who lived on a Groningen farm in the 19th century. It beautifully describes life on a farm of that time, especially the hard winter work, such as threshing grains, which made a great impression on me.
Additionally, there is the family story of Antonides, where we learn about the lives of Johannes and IJnskje Antonides, who worked as a track boss and railway-crossing keeper, respectively, at the end of the 19th century. The story of my uncle Piet, who died as a young soldier in the Dutch East Indies, was the reason for creating this site. I find it fascinating to read about how Dutch people viewed their colony and its inhabitants in the past. Lastly, there is the story of Alex Berry, a “what if…” tale about what would have happened if my grandfather Hendrik Schoonveld had not emigrated to California.