1669- Will

page 2

page 3

Hi Anne, it is a very standard mutual and reciprocal will with actually no specific arrangements.

The will is drafted at the request and on behalf of Jacob Wemmersz Hoppesteijn, master pottery baker, and Jannetge Claes vander Strate, both living within the town of Delft on the southside of the Gasthuislaan. Jacob is lying ill in his bed, Jannetge is well, both appear to be sound of mind. 

They declare that the longestliving will be the sole and universal heir of the one who will die first. The longestliving will be held to provide any offspring they may have from their marriage with food, beverages,  clothing and things they may need, to have them go to school, to have them learn to read, write, and calculate, and to have them be taught a craft or handywork they can earn a living from, until these children will either have come of age or (if this would be earlier) they will marry.

The surviving parent will also be held to pay out of a total sum of 1000 guilders to each child an equal part of this sum as soon as the child will have come of age or marries; this money will replace the child's portion they would be entitled to inherit. In case all (eventual) children of the surviving parent will die before they have come of age and before they married, the surviving parent will be held to pay a sum of 300 guilders to the joint next-of-kin ((or the offspring of these next-of-kin)  of the partner who died first.

Both appoint each other to become the legal guardian of any offspring not yet come of age and authorize each other to appoint second legal guardians as the surviving partner will see fit. Finally, they exclude Orphan's Chambers anywhere from involvement in the inheritance or guardianship.

Morning Rene

Many thanks for this. Although as you say it's fairly standard this is the first time I've seen a specific mention of learning to read, write and calculate. This is an interesting point with regard to all the women pottery owners I'm studying. All of whom, I assume to run a business were able to calculate.

Only one woman so far I've found was illiterate. But that didn't stop her managing 3 different potteries in her life-time!

warmest best wishes

Anne

Dear Anne,

In contradiction to the common opinion, research has shown that women back then were even better at calculating than men, partly also because of the need to spend the income wisely. An interesting article about this is  to be found at https://muse.jhu.edu/article/391002

Dear Anne, thanks to yoir questions I could retrace here a will from 1641 (Harman Houwaert and Barbara van der Biurcht)  with also instructions for the future education of children, see https://watstaatdaer.nl/forum/1641-will

Dear Rene

Thanks for the link to the article which makes fascinating reading. I knew that Dutch women were well educated, and even found a reference to a young women, Margaret Hardenbroeck  from Amsterdam sailing to New Amsterdam (modern day New York) in 1659 with the plan of working as an accountant for her cousin's trading firm. According to the book, she came fully trained for the job!

Otto also thanks for the link back to the will from 1641 which again confirms the importance of education for all the offspring from any marriage.

very best wishes to you both.

Anne