Louis Poulain
Jansje Bas
Louis Poulain
Felicien Poulain
Jacob Poulain (Snr)
Jacob Poulain (Jnr)
My great grandfather Louis Poulain was born on March 25, 1848 in Ecuassinnes d Enghien, Belgium (however his forefathers came from France), he died in Zaan, Holland on January 7, 1897. Louis married Jansje Bas in Koog A/D Zaan, they married on December 14, 1873, Holland. Together they had ten children three died as infants.
Louis was a skilled stone-mason in our district Zaan Streek, where there are hundreds of windmills operating with huge mill stones to grind the grain. These stones had to be cut and shaped with chisels and files, all by hand, there was no machinery available.
There was a shortage of workers especially in Zaan Streek where all the windmills were, so they brought workers out from Belgium. Louis arrived in Holland in 1869, he was a quiet serious man, who worked hard. Jansje his wife was always cheerful; she loved making jokes, and played the mouth organ. But he died at 49 years from lung-poisoning from the dust of the stones, leaving behind eight children, two girls and six boys. He had been a widow for several years, his wife Jansje Bas died at the age of 41 years; we don't know how she died. After Louis died, four of his sons Felicien, Maarten, Francois and Albert went to live in an orphanage; the oldest son Louis (Jnr) was already married, and Louis’s two daughters Elizabeth and Marie-Celene were also grown up and working.
None of our family has ever met this Poulain family, in fact we never knew, the two girls Elizabeth and Marie-Celene existed, our father never talked about them, yet all our lives they only lived 10 km from us in the next village.
I do like Louis's beard, if only my wife would let me grow mine, oh well not meant to be I suppose.
Source: Looijen J.C. (Compiled) What is some-one from Belgium doing in de Zaanstreek. Genealogie van Louis Poulain 1848-1897 en Jansje Bas 1852-1893. The Story of a Mill-Stone Mason.
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