ALMA FROM BEDUM.
This website is mainly about the Roman Catholic family Alma from Bedum, originally from Spijk.
The oldest known ancestor so far is Jacob Peters (ca. 1655-after 1684) from Spijk (research by
Richard Paping).
The first ancestor using the name ALMA is Jacob Pieters (1721-after 1772), farmer in Den Andel.
The current name bearers are descended from Jacobus Tjaarts Alma (1836-1902) and Catherina
Hero Bot (1840-1889) from Uithuizen (see photos below from the collection of Ron Cancilla from
the US).
Jacobus Tjaarts Alma (1836-1902) and Catharina Hero Bot (1840-1889).
The name Alma is adopted in 1811 and taken from the farm and a former castle 'Alma' in
Bedum. Owner and occupant was Pieter Jacobs (about 1685-1731, father of Jacob Pieters).
FARM AND FORMER CASTLE ALMA IN BEDUM.
In his book Mr. A.J. Feith (s) tells a short history of the farm and former castle ALMA:
Alma or Allema is the name of an old Ommelanden (= the surroundings of the city of
Groningen) family. Some members called themselves Heralma. There are several ‘noble
farms’ in the Ommelanden called ‘Almaheerd’.
About 1600 the house ALMA near Bedum belonged to the Jarges family. In the beginning
of the 17th century Anna Jarges from Alma married Johan Lewe. In this way, Johan Lewe
became ‘lord on ALMA’. He married for the second time with Teteke Jarges.
She became a widow and married in 1637 a nobleman from Friesland: Philippus van
Wijtsma, soon calling himself Wijtsma on Alma.
When Teteke Jarges became a widow for the second time, her creditors sold the castel
ALMA in 1675 to major Gerlacus Verrucii, who had also become the owner of the castle
Schultinga nearby in 1674.
In 1695, when Dorothea van Walta (widow of major Verrucii) sold the house, it is
described as the ‘Castle Allema’.
The house ALMA doesn’t show as castle anymore on the 18th century maps.
In 1707, Cornelske Ubbes (widow of Arent Heres) lived in the house ALMA.
As we will see later, Cornelske Ubbes was the mother in law of Pieter Jacobs (my direct
ancestor) who came to live on ALMA when he married Trijntje Arents (the daughter of Cornelske
Ubbes). He then calls himself Pieter Jacobs Allema, as evidenced by the text on the headstone in
the Walfriduskerk to Bedum as shown below:
This picture (s) contains two texts and a coat of arms.
The first text concerns the death of Arent Heres the father of Pieter Jacobs Allema:
ANNO 1703, DEN 12 FEBERUARI, IS DE E. ARENT HERES IN DEN HEEREN GERUST, WYNS SELE GODT
GENADIGH SY, INT LEVENT GEWONT OP ALMA. AETATTS SUAE 40. (s)
Translated:
ANNO 1703, THE 12th of FEBRUARY, ARENT HERES DECEASED, WHOSE SOUL GOD MAY HAVE
MERCY UPON, DURING HIS LIFE LIVING AT ALMA. HIS AGE WAS 40.
The second text concerns the death of Pieter Jacobs Allema itself:
ANNO 1731, DEN 23 MAIUS, YS DE EERBAREE E. PIETIER JACOBS VAN ALLEMA IS IN HEEREN
GEERUST. (s)
Translated:
ANNO 1731, THE 23rd of May, THE HONOURABLE PIETER JACOBS VAN ALLEMA IS DECEASED.
The drawing of Stellingwerf (s) as shown below, is an impression of the former farm and castle
ALMA.
I have found two advertisements concerning a public sale of the farm ‘Alma’.
The first ad is placed in the ‘Opregte Groninger Courant’ of 4 October 1763:
It is not yet clear to me how the sale was completed, because on December 23, 1768 when the
proponents of Catharina Jans (granddaughter of Pieter Jacobs Allema and Trijntje Arents) gave
account for the administration of the estate of the mother Trijntje and her minor sister and
brother (s), in this legacy is listed under more:
‘the farm Alma in Bedum appraised at f 4000’
The second one is placed in the ‘Groninger Courant’ of the 31st of Januari 1797:
On 2 January 1823 we find in the separation of the legacy in the estate of William Nicolaus de
Lange and Bauke Jans (granddaughter of Pieter Jacobs and Trijntje Arents):
‘the ownership of a peace of land with a house near Bedum, named ALMA, in use by
Bette Lammerts Alma, for f 160,- a year, estimated value f 3200,-’(s)
This Bette Lammerts (baptized in Noordwolde on February 11, 1770) is the son of Lammert
Bettes and Anje Olcherts. He died in Zuidwolde on April 6, 1855.
Like Pieter Jacobs he also named himself 'Alma ' after this farm.
He is the ancestor of the second family ALMA from Bedum.
This family is Protestant.
He had made the painting below in 1818.
Right at the top of the painting above the compass, there is a small picture of the weapon on
the gravestone of Arent Heeres and Pieter Jacobs Allema.
The weapon on the gravestone can be seen expanded form on the website of the CBG.
It is registered for all the name-bearing offspring since June 17, 2008
But these Bette Lammerts Alma does not descend Pieter Jacobs Allema.
He is the father of the second family Alma Bedum.
This family is Dutch Reformed.
Map of construction and pasture of B. L. Alma Bedum, Old Borg called ALMA (s)
The family coat of arms on the gravestone
of Arent Heeres and Pieter Jacobs Allema.
supplied by Mr. G.J.D. Visser,
current occupant of ALMA in
Bedum
A. Pathuis, Groninger
gedenkwaardigheden, 1977,
[817] (in Dutch)
A. Pathuis, Groninger
gedenkwaardigheden, 1977,
[813] (in Dutch)
supplied by Mr. G.J.D. Visser,
current occupant of ALMA in Bedum
De Ommelander Borgen en haar
bewoners in de 17e en de 18e eeuw,
BV Foresta 1979 (reprint of the
publication of 1906), Groningen,
page 72-73