Longshot… but looking for descendants or information about the De Bie family from Dongen/Oosterhout/ who emigrated to Canada in 1920
Hello everyone,
I’m a local historian from Strathmore, Alberta, Canada, researching a Dutch family whose story became part of our town’s history. I’m hoping someone may recognize the family or know of descendants.
The family was:
Adrianus Joannes de Bie
Born 18 November 1894 in Dongen, North Brabant
Son of Cornelis de Bie and Adriana Brenders
Occupation: farmer (later butcher, and eventually printer)
He married:
Petronella Johanna Kolijn
Born 12 December 1896 in Loon op Zand
Daughter of Hendrik (Henricus) Klijn and Adriana Koks.
Their children included:
-Adriana Cornelia de Bie, born 20 December 1916 in Dongen
-Anna de Bie, born 12 November 1920 in Strathmore, Canada.
-Henriëtta Johanna de Bie, born 6 December 1921 in Strathmore, Canada
The family emigrated from Antwerp aboard the SS Scotia on 22 April 1920, arriving in Canada and settling in Strathmore, Alberta, where Adrianus farmed. The had two more daughters.
Tragically, on 24 June 1924, their home burned. Petronella and two of the children died from their injuries:
Adrianus and the surviving children returned to the Netherlands. He married Helena Maria Pijnenburg in Oosterhout on 27 May 1925. Their marriage record specifically mentions the death of his first wife, Petronella Johanna Klijn, in Alberta, Canada.
Adrianus and Helena had several children together, including:
Maria Donata (1928)
Cornelia Helena (1929)
Hendrika Petronella (1930)
Gerardina Helena (1931)
Adriana Joanna (1932)
Helena Adriana (1933)
Adrianus died in Tilburg on 28 June 1956. His death record names both wives: Petronella Johanna Klijn and Helena Maria Pijnenburg.
I’m trying to learn more about the family before they emigrated and after Adrianus returned to the Netherlands. I would be especially interested in:
-Family photographs
-Letters or postcards
-Information about the De Bie family in Dongen or Tilburg
-Stories passed down through the family
-Descendants of Adrianus de Bie or Helena Maria Pijnenburg
This research is for a historical article about the family’s tragic story in Strathmore, and I would love to tell it as completely and accurately as possible.
Thank you very much for any information or leads you can provide.