Spero sia giusto pubblicarlo qui. Sto aiutando mio padre a sistemare i documenti dei suoi nonni/bisnonni, comprese queste lettere scritte da qualcuno di Hamm (da dove viene la mia famiglia). Qualcuno è in grado di leggere e tradurre in inglese?
https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1rold9t
di NotTomPettysGirl
6 commenti
Long story short:
Pay back his 370 Belgian Francs or his 6 children will come haunt you in your sleep.
My problem is not the translation, but rather the handwriting
Well I Can’t read all of it because the cursive.
But the letter starts with ‘ Dear cousin ‘, also top left it says Notaris (Notary) , which means it’s probably a special legal document, first page says something like ‘ I’m married to your niece, then about having six kids and that it says ”with this letter there was a check of xxxx amount of franks attached.”
it’s very late here in Belgium right now, so no time to translate it all. But that gives you some idea what it would be about. Seems to be something family/legal related and a check involved.
I’ve looked at the letters diagonally, and it seems to be correspondence between family members (dear cousin). Something about dollars and francs. I see Canada mentioned and Oregon. Without having read in detail, looks like some family members emigrated to the US or Canada and they’re sending back money. The town in Belgium is “[Hamme](https://maps.app.goo.gl/83Z5azwWhnDLDjoC8)”. I’ll try to transcribe tomorrow.
As some others have said, it’s very late in Belgium. I am pretty good at handwriting and will attempt to translate the whole thing word for word later when I have some time if no one else does it before then. At a quick glance it’s a letter informing who got married to whom, they had included a check in the letter and just general correspondence about how life is.
**J. VAN DRIESSCHE** Notaris HAMME o/Durme Post. Ch. 4241 — Tel. 93.
**HAMME DEN** ___ **193_**
Kopij van den brief verzonden aan Mr. Clement Vermeire **Aanbevolen** R.F. Box 715, Portland Oregon, U.S.A.
Beste Kozijn,
Ik ben gelukkig van den gelegenheid gebruik te maken, om u eenige woorden te schrijven. Ik ben gehuwd met Marguerite Van Overstraete, uwe nicht, dochter van Edouard. Georges Rubbens, destijds gehuwd met Gabrielle Vermeire heeft eene vrije gift gedaan, aan goederen hij algemeener eigendom was, aan de kinderen van wijlen Marie Van Overstraete. Mr. Louis Vermeire van 75000 frank, dus aan ieder der kinderen 1/6 of 12500 frank, aan Jules – Joseph – Gabriel – kinderen Philippe, kind Raymond – en aan U. Ik heb voldaan voor de 40 dollars met verzendingskosten 12130 frank. Er blijft nog over 370 frank, over eene betwiste schuld met Jules Goossens – Ten laste van Maman. Ik hoop dat hij geen verder gevolg zal geven en dat ik u de 370 frank later zal mogen bezorgen.
Dit is duidelijk de bijhorende brief van de kopij vermeld in de vorige brief — geschreven door de notaris J. Van Driessche in Hamme, gericht aan Clement Vermeire in Portland, Oregon (USA). Het gaat over de verdeling van een erfenis van 75.000 frank onder 6 kinderen, en de betwiste schuld van 370 frank met Jules Goossens.
Dear brother Joseph,
Please find enclosed the copy of the letter sent to your brother Clement on the 30th of March 1938. I have the proof of recommendation in my possession, and the cheque is in his name at the Banque Société Générale de Belgique. The shares due to you – Jules, Gabrielle, children Philippe – and child Raymond, had already been paid out, when Jules Goossens presented the acknowledgements of debt signed by mama, which are still in my possession today. If Jules therefore gives no further follow-up to the matter, I will be able to transfer the 370 francs to Clement.
Please accept my sincere regards. Enclosed the letter from your brother.
**Letter 2 (the notary’s copy):**
Copy of the letter sent to Mr. Clement Vermeire **Registered** R.F. Box 715, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
Dear Cousin,
I am happy to take this opportunity to write you a few words. I am married to Marguerite Van Overstraete, your niece, daughter of Edouard. Georges Rubbens, formerly married to Gabrielle Vermeire, made a free gift of property of which he was a general co-owner, to the children of the late Marie Van Overstraete. Mr. Louis Vermeire, valued at 75,000 francs, thus to each of the children 1/6 or 12,500 francs, to Jules – Joseph – Gabriel – children of Philippe, child Raymond – and to you. I have settled the 40 dollars with shipping costs of 12,130 francs. There remains 370 francs, regarding a disputed debt with Jules Goossens – charged to Maman. I hope he will not pursue the matter further and that I will be able to send you the 370 francs at a later time.
These two letters together tell the story of a **family inheritance dispute** in 1938, involving Belgian family members, some of whom had emigrated to the United States. The notary in Hamme (Belgium) is managing the distribution of funds and keeping relatives in Oregon informed.