Comments on: Discovering my Dutch Roots!

By: Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 03:27:03 +0000

Very interesting. And, yes! The Frieslanders do speak their own language, West Frisian. I am not familiar with it, but Dutch is between German and English and often sounds like English with a different spelling – huis = house, they sound the same. So, West Frisian must be a step beyond that.

We are going to make copies of Grandpa’s study and will definitely see to it that you get a copy!

By: Donna Kuck

Donna Kuck — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:58:28 +0000

More interesting facts: I once worked with a man from the Germany – Austria area who maintained that he was a Prussian. He confirmed the story of the Frieslanders and also confirmed that they had maintained a separate language. Dad once read in the Oxford Unabridged Dictionary that the roots of the English language owed a lot to the Friesian language, being neither Dutch nor German, sounded much more like spoken English, but had unique spelling. The Friesian Islands were at one time separate from the mainland. The waves of Viking invaders and raiders had their share of Frieslanders. In fact – I have a vague memory of some movie – I think it had Charleton Heston and I think it was called “The Normans.” The bad guys were the Friesland raiders in their longboats.

I’d love to get the photocopy!!!!!

By: Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:28:05 +0000

Ha!!!! That does shed a lot of light, doesn’t it? I need to photocopy this document I found and send it to you. I think you would be most interested and find it fascinating. Thanks for the comment! Having spent a lot of time in the Netherlands, I can confirm that Friesland DOES have a reputation!

By: Donna Kuck

Donna Kuck — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:33:41 +0000

Hey, Jeff – really interesting bit of our family history! I had heard about the English connection. Did Dad ever mention that he once sat in an airplane next to a gentleman from the Netherlands. Dad explained our connection to Friesland. The gentleman smiled and said “You Americans have the term “stubborn as a Dutchman.” In the Netherlands, we say “stubborn as a Frieslander.” This explains a lot!!!!

By: Shelly Axe

Shelly Axe — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:50:45 +0000

There are only two things I can’t stand in this world. People who are intolerant of other peoples cultures, and the Dutch!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ882QYzr-M

Chris is German. I am English, Irish, Lithuanian, Swedish, and Spanish. Our kids make up six countries in and around Europe, but we are not Dutch….so…

By: Rose Burke

Rose Burke — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:35:54 +0000

It’s always fun to learn where your family history. My ancestory is Irish, on both sides, and from the same County in Ireland. There is also some French, American Indian, Polish and German thrown in.

By: Jeff Adams

Jeff Adams — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:43:14 +0000

That really is pretty amazing!

By: Christine Foutts

Christine Foutts — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:33:39 +0000

Jeff – very interesting. My version is similar. I was born in New York, lived in ~10 towns, and consider Fishkill, NY my hometown (where I went to High School.) I met my ex-husband at KCBT after moving here in 1976. My father-in-law is a great advocate of knowing your family history – so he had worked extensively on his family tree, tracing in back to the Revolutionary War. It was interesting to see the path West to East as you look back in time.

Here’s the interesting thing – My father-in-law’s ancestors are buried in the Revolutionary War cemetary in Fishkill, NY – yup – my hometown. That means, that although my ancestors have only been in this country for three generations, my son can trace BOTH lines back to the same town!

How American is THAT!