Somsen Family Reunion - Aalten, August, 1997
Photo Pages and Newspaper Articles

The following pictures were taken during reunion week in Aalten and the following two weeks spent touring Europe. The first two digits in each picture indicate the day in August on which it was taken, the second two the chronological order. Clicking on the Photo Page will bring up the thumbnails of the photos shown, clicking on the picture identifier (00-00) will bring up that individual picture.

Photo Page One
07-00 Family Reunion Logo
08-01 Theo Somsen shows us how the Dutch eat herring at Volendam
08-03 Hosts Derk and Alie Somsen in their garden at Doetinchem
09-01 Family Reunion at Erve Kots with 450 Somsens in attendance
09-02 Jeanne Connell and Janet Somsen at the reunion
09-03 Derk and John Somsen working hard at the Somsen-market
10-01 St.Helenakerk in Aalten where Geert and Megtelt were married in 1689.
10-02 Planting the lime tree at the Japikshuis in IJzerlo (notice covered plaque)

Photo Page One A
09-04 Family Reunion at Erve Kots
09-05 Klompen dancers put on exhibition
09-06 The klompen dancers decide that the Somsens should participate
09-07 A square dancing demonstration by the American Somsens
09-08 Mary Somsen-Gilbert leads a demonstration of line dancing
09-09 Paula Crist, Alex Zavracky and Cindy and Ron Zignego square dance
09-10 Paula and Alex "swing your partners"
09-11 Everyone gets into the swing

Photo Page One B
08-91 Arrival in Holland - land of our ancestors
12-91 Johan Somsen entertains after the Vragender swamp visit
08-92 Sightseeing in Volendam by the Zuider Zee
08-93 De Gelderse Achterhoek - region of our ancestors
10-91 Sint Helenakerk - Church of our forefathers
10-92 WWII memorial to the 7 Aalten resistance fighters who lost their lives
12-92 Jeanie Somsen-Jacobson's rescue from the swamp

Photo Page Two
10-03 Japikshuis from which Aaltjen & Hendrik Jan Somsen emigrated to America in 1847-51
10-06 Somsenhuis barn in IJzerlo on the farm from which our family evolved
10-07 The new farmhouse at Somsenhuis built in 1945 (note the sign)
11-04 Openluchtmuseum in Arnhem - an example of the farmhouses of our ancestors
11-08 Ernst Jan & Ellen Somsen visit us in Doetinchem just before their wedding day
12-01 Broekse Hoeve (Oud Reinders) in Lintelo from which Jan Hendrik left in 1881
12-02 Somp expedition to the Vragender swamp near Lichtenvoorde
12-03 We really are discovering where we came from - not a casual stroll

Photo Page Two A
09-0534 During the afternoon-market at Erve Kots.
09-0604 Dutch relatives wearing Somsen-Reunion T-shirts.
09-0535 The Somsen orchestra giving a superb performance.
09-1111 The Somsen orchestra and autograph-collector Maarten Stadler [176].
10-0629 On the left Johan [1089] and on the right Theo [227] Somsen during the memorial service in the old Sint Helenachurch in Aalten.
10-0620 Some of the relatives present in the old Sint Helenachurch in Aalten.

Photo Page Two B
10-0621 The 'Berkseth-girls' sitting in the 'Somsen Pew' (A71), third row from the front, which was purchased in 1883.
10-1212 Derk Somsen [130] and Bert Alberts [1383] playing the organ and trumpet during the memorial service in the old Sint Helenachurch in Aalten.
10-0205 Planting the Somsen tree at the Japikshuis in the presence of a large audience.
10-0216 Johan Somsen [1089] as a translator of the Dutch texts.
10-0221 Theo Somsen [227] appoints the present owner and occupant of the Japikshuis, Mr. Veerbeek, to be keeper of the Somsen linden tree.
10-0218 Stephen D. Somsen [2459] from Edmonds, WA. USA planting the Somsen linden tree at the Japikshuis.

Photo Page Two C
10-1313 The relatives who offered the Somsen linden tree to the Reunion committee, from left, are: Paulien Middelhuis [3722] and Hennie Somsen [1861], Michel Stadler [174] and Tineke Somsen [135].
10-1414 Having a nice cup of coffee and a chat at the campsite 't Hoftijzer after planting the Somsen linden tree.

Photo Page Three
12-04 Somsens take over the marketplace at Lichtenvoorde after the expedition
12-05 John Howard Somsen shows proof that he was christened in the swamp
12-06 Johan Somsen entertains us all with music on his squeeze box
13-01 Archaeological park in Xanten, Germany, with rebuilt Roman ruins
13-02 Gravestones of Roman soldiers discovered around Xanten
13-04 The marketplace in Xanten near the Cathedral of Xanten
13-05 The grounds of Anholt Castle in Germany
13-07 Schloss Anholt or Anholt Castle

Photo Page Four
14-01 Roel and Ida (niece of Derk Jan Somsen) Kassies of Aalten - our second host family
14-04 Janet and Dirkje (Dikky) Somsen relax during reunion week
14-05 The transfer of the family geneology from Derk Jan to John Howard Somsen
14-06 The barn at Frerikshuus in Aalten
14-07 Frerikshuus, the museum of antiquities in Aalten
14-08 The water tower in Aalten. The view from the top extens far into Germany
14-09 The pub, Het Noorden, near the water tower provides a needed break
14-10 More Somsens relaxing after another busy day

Photo Page Five
14-11 The playground at the pub, Het Noorden, with the swinging Somsen family
14-12 Johan Somsen shows us the proper way to slide
15-01 Departure day from the Netherlands - with our hosts
15-02 John Howard and Janet Somsen in front of our hotel in Paris
15-07 Frederico and Janet Somsen enjoy lunch at a sidewalk cafe
18-05 Jeanie, Ana, Fred and Janet at the Arc De La Defense in Paris
18-10 Dinner at the Bistro Romain in Paris
19-13 With our host family, the Boisnets, in Grenoble

Photo Page Six
19-14 Sophie and Estelle Boisnet review the day's pictures with John
22-03 John and Fred enjoy dinner in Barcelona
22-04 Ana, Janet and Jeannie at dinner in Barcelona
24-01 Frederico, our accountant, tallies up the check
24-03 Fred has his caracature drawn at the Plaza Mayor in Madrid
25-07 John, Janet and Fred with Tia Maria and Tio Henrique in Braganca, Portugal
25-09 Frederico shows off the carved ivory tusks at Ana's parents home in Braganca
26-12 Fred and Janet cool off in the river at Outeiro, Portugal

Photo Page Seven
27-09 Fred, Tereza, John, Janet and Arie Somsen in Lisbon
27-10 Dina Somsen enjoys the pictures at her parents' home
27-12 Reviewing the pictures of the trip
28-06 Fred stands in front of his record company, Ananana, in Lisbon
28-07 The front of the record store that Fred manages in Lisbon
28-15 Frederico presents the final bill for the car, rooms, etc.
28-19 Dinner by the ocean near Ad and Tereza's home on the last night
28-20 Janet and Ad enjoy a laugh together

Pen and Ink Drawings
St.Helenakerk in Aalten
Broekse Hoeve (Oud Reinders) in Lintelo

DIS Magazine (Nov 1997)

Newspaper Articles and Letters (in Dutch)
Dagblad de Gelderlander (3 Aug) Kloek boek over de Achterhoekse familie Somsen
Dagblad de Gelderlander (11 Aug) Internet brengt familie Somsen bij elkaar
Het Gelders Dagblad Tubantia (11 Aug) ‘I am a salesman’ bij het Japikshuis
Aalten Vooruit (13 Aug) Ruim vierhonderd Somsens vanuit hele wereld bijeen
Baldwin Bulletin (? Sep) Somsen world-wide reunion held in Holland
Impressie (30 Aug) Gree A. J. van Daatselaar-Somsen
History Bouwfasen van de oude Sint Helenakerk aan de Markt te Aalten

Newspaper Articles and Letters (in English)
Daily paper ‘de Gelderlander’ (3 Aug) Substantial book about the Somsen family from the Achterhoek
Daily paper ‘de Gelderlander’ (11 Aug) Internet brings Somsen family together
The Gelders Dagblad Tubantia (11 Aug) ‘I am a salesman’ at the Japikshuis
Aalten Vooruit (13 Aug) More than 400 Somsens from all over the world brought together
Baldwin Bulletin (? Sep) Somsen world-wide reunion held in Holland
Impressions (30 Aug) Gree A. J. van Daatselaar-Somsen
History Stages in Building of the Old Saint Helena Church on the Markt in Aalten