Joannes Franciscus CLAEYS (A IX a)

A IX a Joannes Franciscus CLAEYS

son of Engelbertus Claeys (A VIII a) and Maria Theresia De Smet

° Kaprijke 21-10-1836
x Kaprijke 8-2-1866 Maria Theresia Standaert
† Kaprijke 7-4-1915

The eldest son of Engelbert Claeys was born in Kaprijke on 21 October 1836 and on 8-2-1866 at age 29 he was married to Maria Theresia Standaert, the daughter of Karel and Victoria Van Waes. Their entries in the population registry state they were both labourers. They staid on with his parents and had several children even before his brothers started to leave the home where they were born !

In 1867 Joannes was registered as a scutcher (the scutcher or swingler removed the woody substances from the flax fibers by beating them). His wife earned something as a lace-maker. After a little more than 49 years of wedded bliss Joannes died in Kaprijke on 7 April 1915. His widow died on 3 March 1933.

They had 11 children:

August Claeys
° Kaprijke 11-9-1866
He was not very tall, 5.03 feet. He left for America.
On 9 May 1901 in St. Mary's Catholic Church in Moline (Illinois) he married Mary De Jaeger, whose roots are in our Meetjesland, in Lembeke or Watervliet. They had 14 children; seven of them became adults.
Leo Claeys (A X a)
° Kaprijke 1-3-1868
x Julie Verdick
† Kaprijke 23-3-1941
Carolus Ludovicus Claeys
° Kaprijke 20-1-1870
Left for America in 1888 together with his brothers broers August and Henri.
Henri Claeys (A X b)
° Kaprijke 14-1-1872
x Louise Regelbrugghe
† Illinois (U.S.A.) 8-5-1931
Clementia Claeys
° Kaprijke 24-1-1874
† Kaprijke 4-6-1874
Romanie Marie Claeys
° Kaprijke 19-9-1876.
Married in Kaprijke on 9-6-1898 with Petrus Van Hijfte who was born in Kaprijke on 4-4-1869. Petrus was a basketmaker.
Edmond Claeys
° Kaprijke 26-4-1879.
He got married to Emma Roman. He emigrated to Amerika and died in Moline, Illinois on 23-8-1910.

Marie-Louise Claeys
° Kaprijke 5-11-1881.
She got married to Eduard Andre Boudonck in Kaprijke on 11 november 1908. Eduard was born in St.-Laureins on 22-3-1877. He was a farmer. He died in Kaprijke on 19-2-1940 and Marie-Louise died in the arms of her son the Reverend Omer Boudonck in Adegem on 11 June 1965. Here we have a picture of the whole Boudonck-Claeys family.

Marie-Louise Claeys.
Click here for a larger copy of this photograph.
Here is her funeral card and here we have a
picture of her husband.

Many thanks to Mr. Johan Boudonck of
Kaprijke for these pictures.

Victor Claeys
° Kaprijke 12-11-1883
He emigrated to America together with his brothers. Henri married and Victor, all alone, gradually descended into alcoholism and poverty. But his sister Marie-Louise, then also in the USA, took him in on condition that he behaved. He found a job and for a while all was well again but then he relapsed and left for an unknown destination. His sister returned to Belgium with her husband.
Some time later Victor was brought to a hospital and taken care of by among others a Belgian nun. But he didn't get better and when he felt the end was near he asked the good Sister to get a St. Christopher scapular medal out of the pocket of his jacket. When he'd left Belgium it had been given to him by the vicar. Great was her amazement because she had exactly the same scapular, also received from a vicar. It soon became clear the Sister was his niece, a daughter of his brother Henri with whom he had lost all contact.
Victor died in spite of all the good care lavished on him. Every letter his illiterate mother received had to be read to her by a neighbour. She never lost hope and kept praying that he might change his way and after his death to ask the Lord for forgiveness.
The scapular medal was sent to his mother and now it's held in safekeeping by Franky Boudonck whose mother was Victor's sister.
A son, stillborn on 13-6-1885
Camillus Claeys
° Kaprijke 20-7-1886
† Kaprijke 21-8-1886

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Most recent update: 13 mai 2011