Page 67 - Poat_to_Poot_Engels

Soon afterward, the family moved several miles northeast to the village of
Oude Leije in the Leeuwarderadeel district. This was 2 1/2 miles north of
Stiens, and 6 miles north of Leeuwarden, the provincial capital of Friesland.
Oude Leije (ode-a lay-a) is also known as Alde Leye, de Leye, and Aldeleie.
Its size was typical of most Frisian villages of its time. It had a population of
about 200 people, and was surrounded by farms and dairies. Like Berlikum,
it is the "standard" 3 feet above sea level. The Leistervaart canal was a
prominent feature running east-west along the north side of the village. On
the north side of the canal lay fields and probably farm buildings for
storage and barns. Most of the farmers’ homes were scattered about, since
many lived on their individual "polders". The village served as a community
center where trade, recreation, and religion were conducted. The canal was
heavily used for transportation and trade. It connected to other canals, and
you could reach the Wadden Sea, 2 1/2 miles north, and far to the south it
connected to the Rhine River. Numerous canal boats, bearing boatmen with
long poles, plied up and down the canal most of the year, except when it
was frozen in the winter. The Frisian communities shipped dairy goods and
produce to much of Europe over the canal. On the south side of the canal
was "De Streek" (The Street), a narrow dirt path about five feet wide for
pedestrians. On the opposite side was a short dirt road for carts and
wagons pulled by animals. Just east of the village, the canal turned south
toward Stiens. After that turn, there was a bridge so the Langedyk road
could continue east to the next village. West of Oude Leije was a larger
north-south road, where a bigger bridge crossed over the canal. This area
had been underwater until reclaimed with large dykes.

Within the village, large trees grew on both sides of the canal. To the south
were two or three rows of homes and buildings and beyond them was a
long road, the Langedyk (long dyke). The Poots lived in a two-story
parsonage that faced the canal. There was also a formal garden, and a
building holding both the laundry room and the smokehouse. The church
was adjacent to the south, so it was probably midway between the canal and
the main road.

The following children were born to Jan and Fredrika Poot while in Oude
Leije. (Their anglicized names are noted in parenthesis.) Lammerdina
(Lamberdina/Deena) was born in October 1880. Her birth was followed by
Frederika (Frieda) Wilhelmina in June 1882, and Johannes (Joseph/Joe) in
June 1883, and Jan Willem Jr. (John William Jr.) in December 1884, and
Engelina (Angela) in May 1886. Engelina died when only four months old, in
September 1886.

NOTE: Joseph appears to be the anglicized name taken by Johannes. Both
Johannes and Jan would translate to John in English, so an alternate name
would have been selected to avoid confusion in America.

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