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important for regulating the flow of freshwater from inland to the sea, and
for blocking floodwaters from the ocean. In recognition of the Poot's
historical presence here, there is a well-known scenic street named Laan van
Poot (Poot's Lane). This street runs parallel to the coast, just inland of the
dunes and woods. There was an old white forester home on this street
known as the "Poot House" ("Huize Poot"), located next to King Willem's farm
Hanenburg. During World War II the Germans demolished all of the buildings
near the coast to improve defenses and this house no longer exists. The
adjacent forest area beside the coast is called the "the small woods of Poot"
("de Bosjes van Poot"). Some of this area is now a nature park and bird
sanctuary. There is also a recreation park next to the dunes called "Sportpark
laan van Poot."

The Hague is the home of royalty and the seat of government for The
Netherlands. (Oddly, Amsterdam is the national "capital", yet the government
operates out of The Hague.) People from this area are very proud of their
heritage, and Frederika often boasted of her birth in The Hague and that she
had pure Dutch blood. A good number of Vinks appear in listings of the
"well-born", an indication of their prominence. Several Vinks have served in
government positions. From 1701-1704 an earlier Abraham Vink ruled the
Dutch colony of Malabar, on the West Coast of India. By coincidence, an
Abraham Poot co-authored a book in the 1680's about the flora and fauna of
Malabar.

The Vink's were in the business of manufacturing wrought iron products -
furniture and furnishings. This type of business was very successful in the
second half of the 1800's. Although nothing is known of how Jan and
Frederika came to be married, it is easy to imagine that their parents may
have been acquainted through business, society, or marriage, and may
even have arranged their children's union. Engelbert, Jan Willem's brother,
might have worked with the Vinks, because his occupation was recorded
as ironworker. Metal working businesses were growing rapidly at that
time. Later, there was another interesting coincidence. Freda's nephew,
Willem Vink, was recorded in 1939 Census as an instrument maker. JW
Poot's nephew, Willem Poot, was also an instrument maker around this
same time. Perhaps the families maintained business ties to the surgical
instrument business started by Jan Poot.

Jan Willem Poot and Frederika remained in Edam for only about a year
after their marriage. Their first child, Jan Willem Frederik, was born in
Edam in March 1876. They moved to Delft soon after his birth, and sadly,
their baby died there in August 1876. Infant mortality was quite high until
the 1900's. It was common for parents to lose more than one child to
disease. Jan Willem's parents are known to have lost two children and J.W.
would lose four of his own. His brother Lammert Jan was an extreme
example, losing at least ten children, perhaps to an incompatibility of
blood types or genetics.

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