Gillis De Smet

Gillis De Smet, called Egidius in most official documents got married first to Anna "Tanneken" Matthijs. She died about 1627. We don't know the exact date of her demise because in Adegem the registry of deaths begins only at the end of 1631.

The children of this first marriage:

1.	Cornelius = (means: baptized) Adegem 19.11.1611
2.	Petrus = Adegem 16.2.1615. Married to Judoca Verbiest, who died in Maldegem on 3.3.1647. Their children: - Joannes Baptist = Maldegem 7.3.1641 - Anna Maria = Maldegem 14.9.1642 - Anthonius = Maldegem 21.2.1644 - Petrus = Maldegem 19.12.1645
3.	Maria = Adegem 1.11.1619
4.	Joannes = Adegem 29.5.1623
5.	Joannes = Adegem 19.3.1625
6.	Anna = Adegem 14.2.1627

There definitely was also a Suzanna, probably born before 1611, and therefore before the start of the registry of births. She married Joannes Claeys (see III a).

Gillis or Egidius married a second time at the end of 1627 or the beginning of 1628. His second bride was Joanna De Zuttere, who died around 1630.

They had one child:
Adriana = Adegem 16.11.1628 who died before 1655.

Gillis' third bride was Martina Wouters (or Wauters), daughter of Livinus. She died in Adegem on 6.7.1658 aged 40.
The children from this third marriage:

1.	Livinus = Adegem 8.8.1632
2.	Petronella = Bellem 4.7.1634 Married in Adegem on 1.2.1658 with Petrus Ramont (or Raman).
3.	Elisabeth (we don't know when she was born nor when she was baptized). She married Jan De Rinck.
4.	Egidius = Adegem 3.1.1641
5.	Franciscus = Adegem 15.2.1643
6.	Joannes = Adegem 12.3.1645 (° 8.3.1645).
7.	Paschasia Catharina = Adegem 24.4.1650 (° 17.4.1650), buried in Adegem on 12.9.1656.

Gillis De Smet was alderman of the Corporation of Maldegem, to which Adegem belonged in the 17th and 18th Century. He lived in the Raveschoot quarter of Adegem, now perhaps a remote region but in his day a very lively place. There he exploited a brewery in the first half of the 17th Century.

In 1614 Gillis bought a big farm in Raverschoot and transformed it into a manor farm complete with a grand porch. He modernized the brewery, built a malt-house and horse mill (for the days when there was no wind). He also built an oil mill. He was not a grand master farmer but he was first and foremost a miller and brewer. He owned 12 ale houses in Maldegem, Adegem, Eeklo and Oosteeklo and supplied beer and ale to a further 16 inns and ale houses. Most of these owed him money when he died. He was also the owner of of two windmills in Adegem, one in Balgerhoeke, 2 in Maldegem and 2 in the Mill Road in Eeklo. He was also a grain merchant and supplier of spare parts for windmills.

He died in Adegem on 18.4.1655 in his 70th year. It proved very difficult to divide his estate among the six surviving children from his first marriage to Tanneken Matthijs and the 6 surviving children from his second marriage Martijntje Wouters. (As stated above by then the only child from his second marriage to Janneken De Zutter had already died.)

At the end of the 17th Century his son Lieven (Livinus) became burgomaster of the Corporation of Maldegem and his son Pieter became bailiff of Oostwinkel. One of the grandsons of Pieter, called Pieter Jacobus, became bailiff of the Maldegem Corporation; another called Jacobus became a Jesuit and Filips became the village priest of Assebroek.

Gillis also owned farms and a lot of land and forests in and about Adegem. In his testament he bequeathed money to the Churches of Adegem and Oostwinkel for 200 Holy Masses to be said (after his death) for the salvation of his soul.

We are most grateful to Mr. Marijn Claeys who, for part of this information, gives as his source "Appeltjes van het Meetjesland" (Appels of the Meetjesland), year 3 (1952), pp 71 to 76, an article entitled "A 17th Century Manufacturer". The good people of "The Appels of the Meetjesland" really do deserve our praise and gratitude for their outstanding contributions over so many years. Where would our knowledge of our Meetjesland be without them !

Jan Clays (III a)

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Most recent update: 31 mars 2011