Testament of Coert Strijk and Elisabeth Catharina Springorum

In the testament, the spouses appointed each other as sole and universal heir, ensuring that the surviving partner would inherit the entire estate. They also made detailed provisions for any children they might leave behind, and stipulated that, should both spouses die without issue, fixed monetary legacies were to be paid to Coert Strijk’s siblings and to Elisabeth Catharina’s brother, Bernardus Fredrik Hendrik Springorum, who was living in Onna in the Brandenburg territory at the time.

Beyond its legal function, the document provides valuable genealogical information. It records family relationships on both sides, confirms that neither testator had living parents in 1744, and places the couple within a wider network of relatives extending beyond Amsterdam.

Key provisions of the testament:

• Coert Strijk and Elisabeth Catharina Springorum mutually appoint each other as sole and universal heir.
• Any children born of their marriage are to be raised by the surviving spouse and provided with an appropriate settlement upon reaching majority or marrying.
• If the surviving spouse remarries, he or she must account to the children for the paternal or maternal inheritance.
• Should both spouses die without leaving children, fixed monetary legacies are assigned to Coert Strijk’s brothers and sisters and to Bernardus Fredrik Hendrik Springorum, brother of Elisabeth Catharina.
• The spouses appoint each other as executor and guardian over any minor children and declare that neither had living parents at the time the testament was made.

Transcription

Original

19 November 1744. Boeker No. 559. Des testateuren hebben beyde op ’t passeeren deeses verklaert te saemen geen vierduysent guldens gegoed te weesen. Testament bij Koert Strijk ende Elisabeth Catharina Springorum, egteluyden, opgeregt.

Op heeden den negentienden November des jaers seventienhondert vier en veertig, des avonds de klocke ruym seven uuren, compareerden voor my Salomon Dorper, openbaar notaris tot Amsteldam, bij den Ed. Hove van Holland geadmitteert, ende de voorde getuygen nagenoemt.

Ders. Koert Strijk, kruyer ende packer, en d’eerb. Elisabeth Catharina Springorum, egteluyden, woonende in de Bloedstraat hier ter stede, boven een stal, aen my notaris ende getuygen bekend, gesond van lighaemen, ende bij ’t volle gebruyk en oeffenen van haer lieder verstande sinnen, soo dat genoegsaem ende klaerlijck bleeck.

Dewelcke uyt overdenckinge des doods van voornemens waren geworden over haer lieder nalatenschap, die sy in gemeenschap koomen te besitten, te willen disponeeren ende haer lieder testament op te regten, in manieren naervolgende.

Eerstelyk haer lieder zielen bevelende in d’onbegrypelycke barmhertigheyt Godes, ende derselver lichamen daer aerde. Ten anderen herroepende ende vernietigende alle voorgaende testamenten, codicillen ende alle andere makingen van laeste ende uytterste wille, voor desen ooit ofte ooght gemaeckt ende gepasseert.

Ende als nu geheel ende al op nieuws komende ten dispositie over haer lieder voorschr. nalatenschap, daerinne verklaerden sy elkanderen over ende wederover, dat is de eerststervende de langstlevende van hen beyden tot elks eenige ende algeheele erfgenaem ofte erfgenaemse te raepen, benoemen ende te institueren, ende dat met vollen recht van erfstelling.

Echter soo by aldien d’eerststervende mogte koomen te overlyden ende kind ofte kinderen by elkanderen verweckt in ’t leven naer te laeten, alsdan de langstlevende gehouden sal sijn deselve op te voeden ende groot te maeken, ende gekoomen synde ten mondigen dage ofte huwelijcken staete, alsdan deselve uyt te setten ende ten huwelyck mede te geven soo veel als de langstlevende sal goedvinden ende verstaen te behooren.

En ingeval de langstlevende weder quaeme te herhuwelycken, sal deselve gehouden wesen aen deselve als doen hebbende kind ofte kinderen bewys te doen voor vaders ofte moeders goed, ende dat ten overstaen van twee eerlycke manspersoonen, selfs te verkiesen, met soo veel ofte weynigh in gemoede als de langstlevende verstaen sal te behooren.

Welcke bewesene goederen ofte penningen onder de langstlevende sullen blijven berusten tot dier kind ofte kinderen meerderjarigheyt ofte eerderen trouwdag toe, ende onder en tusschen deselve de vruchten van dien opvoedende als na behooren.

In welcke opvoedinge, grootmakinge ende te doen bewys, ofte wel in de vruchten van dien, sy deselve kind ofte kinderen ter voldoeninge van de legitime portie waerom ende niet verder sullen syn.

Deselve hunne afdan hebbende kind ofte kinderen tot derselver erfgenaem ofte erfgenaemen sy constituëerende, verders nog anders niet.

Stellende elkanderen over ende weder van dit testament tot executeur ofte executrice, mitsgaders tot voogd ofte voogdesse over de kind ofte kinderen, ende tot administrateur derselver goederen, ende na de dood van de langstlevende alle sodanige personen die de langstlevende daertoe sal benoemen, met wijdere macht van assumptie, substitutie ende surrogatie als na rade.

En dat alles omme met herbeede geuytluijdinge ende bedankinge van de Heeren Weesmeesteren, soo van dese stadt als van alle andere steden ende plaetsen, waer haer lieder sterfhuys mogte vallen ende goederen gelegen sijn.

Ende verklaerden de testateuren van weder zijden geen ouders in ’t leven te hebben.

Voorts was haerlieder testateuren wille ende begeerte dat soo gevaldien sy beyde mogten koomen te overlyden sonder kind ofte kinderen by elkanderen verweckt ofte derselver nasaat in ’t leven agter te laeten, dat in alsulcken geval na de dood van de laetstervende van hen beyden, soo by aldien ’t mogte koomen over te schieten ende door den langstlevende onverleest werden nagelaten ende ongeconsumeert mogte na te blijven, alsdan uyt ’t overschot van den gemeenen boedel sullen werden uytgekeert ende voldaen de volgende legaten.

Ten eersten aen de bloedverwanten van den testateur, te weten susters ende broeders, aen de volgende soo die in ’t leven mogten syn, namentlyck: aen Aletta Strijk de somma van vyftig guldens; item aen Anna Maria Strijk mede de somma van vyftig guldens; aen Wenaarbilla Strijk gelycke somma van vyftig guldens; item aen Leendert Strijk mede de somma van vyftig guldens; ende eyndelyck aen Roelof Strijk gelycke somma van vyftig guldens.

Daarentegens aen den broeder van de testatrice, Bernardus Fredrik Hendrik Springorum, tot Onna in ’t Brandenburghse woonende, soo hy in ’t leven mogte syn, de somma van hondert vyftig guldens.

Hetgene voorn. staet is de testateuren duydelyck ende klaer voorgelezen ende te verstaen gegeven hebbende, verklaerden zy ’t selve boven haerlieder testament laeste ende uytterste wille te syn, uyt vrije gemoedsbeweginge alsoo geordonneert, met begeerte dat ’t selve sodanig sal werden opgevolgt ende na schoen vry als testament solemneel, ofte soo niet als codicille, gifte ter sake des doods, ofte andersins tobbert bestaen hebbende, volle ende kracht van effect sorteeren.

Aldus gepasseert tot Amsteldam, ten woonplaetse van de testateuren, in presentie van Minns Jan Pedema, Mr. schoenmaker in de Gulsteegh, ende Hendrik Claus, winkelier in de Sloofsteegh, als getuygen van geloove hier toe versocht. Dit merck is gesteld by de testateur, die verklaerde met de pen niet te konnen schrijven. Dit merck + is gesteld by de testatrice.

English Translation

19 November 1744. Book no. 559.

At the execution of this instrument, the testators jointly declared that together they possessed assets amounting to less than four thousand guilders. This testament was drawn up by Coert Strijk and Elisabeth Catharina Springorum, spouses.

On this nineteenth day of November in the year seventeen hundred and forty-four, at about seven o’clock in the evening, there appeared before me, Salomon Dorper, public notary in Amsterdam, admitted by the Honourable Court of Holland, and in the presence of the witnesses named below,

the aforesaid Coert Strijk, carrier and packer, and the honourable Elisabeth Catharina Springorum, spouses, residing in the Bloedstraat in this city, above a stable, known to me, the notary, and to the witnesses, being of sound body and in full possession and exercise of their mental faculties, as sufficiently and clearly appeared.

Moved by consideration of death, they had resolved to dispose of their estate, which they possessed in community, and to make their testament in the manner following.

Firstly, they commend their souls to the incomprehensible mercy of God, and their bodies to the earth. Secondly, they revoke and annul all previous testaments, codicils, and all other dispositions of last will and testament previously made or executed by them.

And now, proceeding entirely anew to dispose of their aforesaid estate, they declared each other reciprocally, that is, the first to die appoints the survivor of them both as the sole and universal heir or heiress, instituting such with full right of inheritance.

However, should the first to die leave behind a child or children begotten by them together, then the survivor shall be obliged to raise and bring up such child or children, and upon their attaining majority or entering into marriage, to provide them with such settlement and marriage portion as the survivor shall deem appropriate and fitting.

And in the event that the survivor should remarry, such survivor shall be obliged to make an accounting to the said child or children, as then existing, for the paternal or maternal property, in the presence of two respectable male persons of his or her own choosing, granting such amount, whether more or less, as the survivor shall consider proper.

The property or monies thus accounted for shall remain in the custody of the survivor until such child or children reach majority or marry earlier, and during that time the survivor shall maintain and raise them from the proceeds thereof, as is proper.

In such upbringing, education, and accounting, or in the enjoyment of the proceeds thereof, the said child or children shall thereby receive satisfaction of their lawful portion, and no more.

They do thereby constitute such child or children as their heirs, and no others.

They further appoint each other reciprocally as executor or executrix of this testament, as well as guardian or guardianship holder over the child or children, and administrator of their property, and after the death of the survivor, any such persons as the survivor shall appoint for that purpose, with full power of assumption, substitution, and surrogation, as advised.

And all this is done with renunciation and discharge of the Lords of the Orphan Chamber, both of this city and of all other cities and places where their estate may fall open or property may be situated.

They further declared that neither of them has any parents living.

Furthermore, it was the will and desire of the testators that, should they both die without leaving behind any child or children begotten by them together, or descendants thereof, then in such case, after the death of the last survivor of them both, if anything should remain unexpended and unconsumed by the survivor, such remaining balance of the common estate shall be distributed and paid out as the following legacies.

Firstly, on the side of the testator, to his blood relatives, namely his sisters and brothers, to those who may then be living, as follows: to Aletta Strijk the sum of fifty guilders; likewise to Anna Maria Strijk the sum of fifty guilders; to Wenaarbilla Strijk the like sum of fifty guilders; likewise to Leendert Strijk the sum of fifty guilders; and finally to Roelof Strijk the like sum of fifty guilders.

Conversely, to the brother of the testatrix, Bernardus Fredrik Hendrik Springorum, residing at Onna in the Brandenburg territory, if he should then be living, the sum of one hundred and fifty guilders.

All of the foregoing having been clearly and distinctly read aloud and explained to the testators, they declared the same to be their last and ultimate will and testament, ordered of their own free and deliberate intent, desiring that it be duly carried out and have full force and effect, whether as a solemn testament or, if not valid as such, then as a codicil, gift in contemplation of death, or otherwise, to the fullest extent permitted by law.

Thus passed at Amsterdam, at the residence of the testators, in the presence of Minns Jan Pedema, master shoemaker in the Gulsteeg, and Hendrik Claus, shopkeeper in the Sloofsteeg, as witnesses to this act, duly requested. The mark of the testator was set, he declaring that he could not write with the pen. The mark (+) was set by the testatrix.