Letters 12/25/2023

Dear Low Dutch Cousins,
I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

I hope all of you have had a great year and have continued meeting, learning and sharing about our ancestors of old!   

I am looking forward to seeing you all at the gathering next year at the Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park September 13-16!

More details will be provided in the future concerning our registration, meeting and programs for the gathering!

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
Chris Canine, PresidentIt’s official!   

We have secured Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park as our 2 day meeting location!  

The Low Dutch Cousins of Kentucky gathering dates and location have been set!

Mark your calendars for:
September 13-16 2024 
Friday September  13th  – at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park KY
Saturday September 14th – at Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park KY
Sunday September 15th – at Old Mud Meetinghouse Harrodsburg KY
Monday September 16th – at Harrodsburg Historical Society, Harrodsburg KY or Sons of the American Revolution National Headquarters Library, Louisville KY

Please consider your hotel accommodations carefully based on your travel preferences.  

Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park Is about 1 1/2 hours from the Old Mud Meetinghouse, in Harrodsburg and 2 1/2 from downtown Louisville.

We are excited to share more details in the future concerning our registration, meeting locations and programs for the gathering!

Please feel free to make your room reservations now in advance if you so choose! 

Blue Licks Battlefield State Resort Park
10299 Maysville Road
Carlisle, Kentucky 40311

Call the park and identify yourself as a member of the Low Dutch Cousins of Kentucky  (group code 4884) when making your reservation so you will be added to our block of rooms!  

All room reservations must be guaranteed with a major credit card.   Room reservations must be received by Wednesday, August 15, 2024.
(limited availability so do not wait!) 

Room Reservations, pricing, availability and other details can be made by calling the park at: 859-289-5507.

Other accommodations may be found in Maysville, Lexington and Harrodsburg.  RV and campers are welcome also at the park by going to:https://parks.ky.gov/parks/find-a-park/blue-licks-battlefield-state-resort-park-7782

Also feel free to check out the park through the link above!
Blessings,Chris Canine
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Elizabeth Hardin wrote:
I am interested in New Amsterdam families.  I am from Trico, Rapalje, Bergen,Hoagland, and Gritton families.  Jessee Gritton married second time Ann Cozine DeMott.  Jessee Gritton, Ann Gritton, and John Gritton are all buried in the Old DeMott Cemetery here in Mercer County, Ky.   
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Julie Van Dyke wrote: 
I was especially interested to learn about the scholarship of Judith Cassidy.  I am descendent from Peter Van Dyke, who was a member of the Conowego Dutch Congregation (and possibly a son or brother of John Van Dyke, who is listed in early records of the congregation,  although I cannot prove their relationship with certainty.). When the majority of the Dutch Congregation left to KY, these Van Dykes stayed in Conowego, and remained there. (My grandfather left in 1968, but there are Van Dykes still in Gettysburg area today.)  I’m interested to know more about the origins of the Dutch congregation before they came to Conowego— and I would love to ask Mrs. Cassidy if any of her research contains information on this topic.
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Phyllis Miller wrote:
I wonder if Judith Cassidy would have found, in her research, information on the VANDIKE/VAN DYKE family.  For many years we have searched for the ancestry of William Vandike who was born in New Jersey and came to Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in the 1770’s.  He may be of the line of Aert/Ault/Carel Van Dyke but we are not sure.  He was probably born circa 1750 and died in 1806 in Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.  He married Anna Barbara Moyer.  Names used in our family were George and John.
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Judy Cassidy wrote:
Responding to a question in the 8/19/23 Newsletter: Jon Putnam inquired regarding musings on Low Dutch Bilingualism.  He was wondering the time line when the Dutch in Kentucky began to include English in their conversations.My response, is that after the Revolutionary Was, The Classis of New Brunswick was unwilling to assign a permanent Minister to the Reformed Dutch Congregations in both Conewago and Kentucky. There for the Dutch Congregations began to join other congregations.  Those in Conewago joined Presbyterian Congregations and beginning in 1790 or so, they started to become bi-lingual.  However in Kentucky, in Henry and Shelby where the Low Dutch Tract was established with the Six Mile Run church, the Dutch language continued for a few years to be the dominate language among the Congregation, although the fact that the men of he Community began to learn and speak English.  By the 1880’s when Rev. John K. Demarest traveled to Kentucky with the original papers from the Dutch Reformed Churches at Conewago that were totally in Dutch he could not find a single sole who had ever heard of Conewago or could read or write in Dutch.
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Judy Cassidy wrote:
I just posted a beautiful photo of the gate at Conewago decorated for Christmas on several sites. Maybe it could be posted on the Dutch Cousins site and Newsletter
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Judy Cassidy wrote:
This is the time of year to donate what you are able to help with expenses for our Ancestors Graves and graveyard. Since so few of us live close by we are very fortunate that Alan Weaner, Arthur Weaners nephew, was entrusted by Arthur with the Low Dutch Improvement. Fund. Arthurs brother Dr. David Weaner is buried there as well. Give what you can. 

Low Dutch Improvement Fund
c/o: of Alan Weaner, 145 Weaner Road, Gettysburg, Pa 17325. 
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Joyce Collins wrote:

Dear Dutch Cousins,
I attended a gathering in 2007 and have not been back to visit in person. My branch of the
FAMILY IS THE WESTERFIELDS. Please let me know when the next “reunion” will be held.
Thalia Joyce Collins
Formerly of West Covina California, now in Northern California
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Welcome to the new additions to our mailing list:

Rev. Brandon Burks wrote:

Dutch connection:
I am not of Dutch descent – actually Irish, Japanese, and German descent – but I am pastor in the Dutch Reformed tradition (URC), and I am church planting a Dutch Reformed church in Northern Kentucky (Florence). I love the Dutch heritage, the rich theology, and what it has to offer Kentuckians.
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John Banta wrote:
I am a descendent of Epke’s youngest son Weart, Wiert, Thomas, John Thomas, Gerrit, Jacob Terhune, Charles henry, Lorenzo Jacob, Donald Lorenz. My father (Donald Lorenz) was raised in Haledon, NJ. Many family members ended up in the Franklin Lake area and my Grandfather moved to CT in the 40’s where most of my siblings are still in the area.
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info@dutchcousins.org
Please include your name, address, phone number, email, and names of your Dutch ancestors (Dutch connection)..

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