Belgian Ancestors Remembered #AtoZChallenge2021

The failure of potato crops and the very small revenue of tiny family farms in Belgium during the 19th century affected the lives of my Belgian ancestors. Clement Baugniet and Augustine Paquet, great grandparents of my father, chose to leave Mehaigne, Belgium for a new life in America. In 1856, they boarded the ship Trumbell with their three sons, Francois, Florent and Frederick, and sailed from Antwerp to New York. Then they traveled down through Chicago to their new home in the village of Mishicot, Wisconsin.

Overlooking the Meuse River in Belgium
during my visit in 2007

Using information from the vital records I had researched over a ten-year period, I wrote the following short family history of my great, great grandparents who emigrated from Mehaigne, in the Walloon Region (Wallonia) of Belgium.

A SHORT FAMILY HISTORY TO PRESERVE MEMORIES, HOPES, AND DREAMS

Much has been written of the emigration of Belgian citizens and the hardships they endured to make a better life for their families.

Clement and Augustine had been married for fourteen years and had three young sons when they made the voyage by ship across the Atlantic Ocean in 1856. They left behind many loved ones: relatives, friends, and neighbors. Although Clement’s mother, Elizabeth, had died three years before the journey, his father, Andre, was still alive at the age of 82. Their youngest son, Frederick Joseph, was only eight months old when they sailed out of Antwerp. Before they were able to make a return trip to their homeland, Clement’s father died in 1858 and his sister, Marie Catherine, died in 1861.

Through these difficult times, Clement and Augustine found reasons to rejoice. The boys remained healthy and were able to labor alongside their father on the heavily wooded farmland located near the Mishicot River, acreage Clement purchased in a quiet farming town in eastern Wisconsin. In 1867, Clement and Augustine celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. 

Copy of marriage certificate of Clement Baugniet and Augustine Paquet
from the Archives de l'Etat a Anderlecht

Within ten years, all of their sons were married, their youngest on the final day of 1877. Their celebrations included neighboring farm families who owned land adjacent to or near their homestead. Eventually, most of the neighbors became branches of the family tree as grandchildren married.

Lest we forget the hardships they endured and the opportunities their actions offered to us, their descendants, it is important to record our family histories. May their memories, along with their hopes and dreams, live in us and continue to inspire the constant striving for betterment imbued in the zealous Belgian spirit.

For pictures and articles about my visit to Belgium in 2007, visit this link: genealogy trip, Belgium, 2007

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Zulu Warrior in Belgium

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The 26 eclectic-genre short stories for my #AtoZChallenge are excerpts from travelogue notes by

novel character Gahlen, who first appeared in SHARDS OF MEMORY – Oral History in a Heartbeat.

Each A-to-Z daily post is a complete, stand-alone tale.

Zulu Warrior in Belgium

Genre: Shared Fantasy

(305 words)

Belgium demonstrates its humor in unusual ways. They honor a rather risqué, diminutive bronze sculpture, Manneken Pis, located on an obscure corner near the Grand Place in the heart of old Brussels.

Strangely enough, nobody seems to actually know why the manneken is there. He is believed to be nothing more than a decoration on top of a fountain, where people in the Middle-Ages came to get fresh water. Already in the 15th century, a fountain called 'manneken-pis' existed in the Stoffstraat/Rue de l'etuve. The official origin can be traced back to 13 August 1619 when the city ordered the sculptor Jerome Duquesnoy to make a new bronze statue of manneken-pis to replace an old and withered one.

As one of the stories goes, during the course of centuries, the little manneken has often been hidden to protect him against bombs of invading armies. According to a restaurant waiter most eager to refill my beer stein, the statue has been stolen several times by plundering soldiers and even by the citizens of Geraardsbergen, a city in Flanders that claims to possess the oldest statue of a peeing boy in Belgium.

The Brussels statue of a naked little boy, picturesquely doing just what the name implies, has over 654 costumes – donated from every country in the world. A Costume Committee reviews each new submission to assure that it meets the criteria of authenticity and proper structure. Costumes range from Santa Claus and a Swiss Soldier to a Zulu Warrior.

The waiter leaned close while refilling my stein once again, and said, “The little statue has become a national treasure.”

With no inclination to question the statement, I sipped my beer in silence. Another question I refrained from asking: “Why would any army want to bomb a little boy who is so desperately in need of relief?”

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Oh, what a relief to have arrived at the letter Z in the #AtoZChallenge!

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Villa Gracia and Battle of the Bulge

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The 26 eclectic-genre short stories for my #AtoZChallenge are excerpts from travelogue notes by

novel character Gahlen, who first appeared in SHARDS OF MEMORY – Oral History in a Heartbeat.

Each A-to-Z daily post is a complete, stand-alone tale.

Villa Gracia, located south of Namur in Wallonia

VILLA GRACIA and the BATTLE OF THE BULGE

(389 words)

My first morning on Belgian soil, I sat on the hotel veranda, enjoying the peaceful flow of the River Meuse. Rivers had played an important role in the lives of many ancestors and I took energy from the sight. Gisele, the hotel owner, slipped over with a small pot of coffee for me.

“My husband and I have often received offers to purchase this property,” she told me. “But we spent eighteen months lovingly remodeling the residence and do not plan to sell.”

I replied that the grounds of their beautiful hotel were very relaxing, but it was difficult for people to slow down and appreciate the calm. With that, Gisele took a moment to share with me a bit of history about the area and her life.

“It was a wintry December day in 1944,” she began, the words chilling, but her voice a soothing reminder of my grandparents’ tone as they shared stories with me. “German armies plunged into the semi-mountainous, heavily forested Ardennes region of eastern Belgium and northern Luxembourg. Their goal was to reach the sea, trap allied armies, and impel a negotiated peace on the Western front. The German Offensive achieved total surprise, but nowhere did the American troops give ground without a fight.

“For three days, the determined Americans took a stand. Then the arrival of powerful reinforcements ensured that the ambitious German goal was far beyond reach. In snow and sub-freezing temperatures, the Germans fell short of their objective of reaching the Meuse River on the fringe of the Ardennes. Their tactic created only a Bulge in the American line. They expended irreplaceable men, tanks, and material. Four weeks later, after grim fighting, with heavy losses on both side, the Bulge ceased to exist.”

Gisele halted her story for a moment, merely staring out the porch window. I took a sip of coffee to keep from breaking her silence. When she continued, it was to say something totally unexpected.

“During the fighting, a woman in the Ardennes gave birth to her baby. Unable to safely get the woman to a hospital, American soldiers aided in the delivery of baby Gisele.”

She stood then and returned to whatever had occupied her before she shared with me her personal story. Without a doubt, one of my grandparents had inherited storytelling abilities from Belgian ancestors.

 

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Rainy Day in Ghent

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The 26 eclectic-genre short stories for my #AtoZChallenge are excerpts from travelogue notes by

novel character Gahlen, who first appeared in SHARDS OF MEMORY – Oral History in a Heartbeat.

Each A-to-Z daily post is a complete, stand-alone tale.

By Hubert van Eyck - The Yorck Project (2002) 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei (DVD-ROM), distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. ISBN: 3936122202., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=150703

Rainy Day in Ghent

Genre: Christian Fiction

(391 words)

“I opened this place twenty-five years ago,” the elderly restaurant owner said. “Recently, I expanded but retained Ghent’s artistic ambiance. Were you up to St. Bavo’s?”

“I viewed ADORATION OF THE MYSTIC LAMB earlier.” My guide indicated the restaurant owner readily discussed van Eyck’s oaken panel ployptych on rainy days.

“Yes, yes, of course,” he said. “Such history – stolen panels once lost for a hundred years; then the ployptych sent to France for safekeeping until Germans swiped it. After yet another recovery, two panels stolen in a 1934 blackmail scheme. Only one panel was ever returned.”

He said only one panel was returned, I noticed, not that only one had been located.

“The Ghent Altarpiece is a world masterpiece,” he continued. “Whoever stole the panels knew what leverage they possessed.”

“Leverage for what?”

“A message was sent directly to Bishop Coppieters demanding money. But authorities refused to allow payment.”

“Why was the ransom note directed to the bishop?”

“Aha, you pounce upon an unusual circumstance that no one has publicly addressed over the years. Yes, yes, why did the bishop receive the note? The panels were stolen from his church, but was that the only reason? Also, what was the bishop’s role in the theft?”

“You believe Bishop Coppieters was involved?”

“Certainly. The exorbitant ransom request suggests the theft was not about money. Another motive was in play. Consider the bishop’s attempt to recuperate the panels. He borrowed from the church treasury to meet part of the ransom. How he arranged to pay is unknown.”

“Was the theft a warning of sorts?”

“My theory rests on the history of an Irish saint. He came to perform good deeds in Ghent and was killed. Anger grew against pagans suspected of the heinous act. Blaming the saint’s death on the work of the devil, an underground group performed exorcisms on those declared guilty. The cure was far worse than the crime. Relatives vowed revenge.”

The owner stood.

Hastily, I wrapped all my confusion into one question. “Do van Eyck paintings and exorcisms have something in common?”

“Yes, yes,” the owner said, sitting again. “The bishop was trained to perform exorcisms. Who better for descendants to enact vengeance upon than one who continued the practice of exorcisms? Stealing The Righteous Judges panel answers that question. Exorcists had acted as judges; thieves extracted righteous justice.”

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Funeral Linen Weaving #AtoZChallenge

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The 26 eclectic-genre short stories for my #AtoZChallenge are excerpts from travelogue notes by

fictional character Gahlen, who first appears in SHARDS OF MEMORY – Oral History in a Heartbeat.

Each A-to-Z daily post is a stand-alone tale - partly true, partly fiction.

By Image: http://collections.lacma.org/sites/default/files/remote_images/piction/ma-31735509-O3.jpgGallery: http://collections.lacma.org/node/225648 archive copy at the Wayback Machine (archived on 22 January 2019), Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=27319929

Funeral Linen Weaving

Genre: Murder Mystery

(393 words)

Joshua often wove funeral handkerchiefs. The linens collected tears shed for the deceased. Dried petals of funeral bouquets were then wrapped inside as a keepsake.

For a particular funeral, Joshua received an order of ten such linen squares. While the order was not unusual, thoughts of the deceased sent shudders through Joshua’s body.

Seven years earlier, neighbors had announced the birth of their son, Hasya, named for the joy he brought into their lives. Shortly after Hasya’s seventh birthday, a cry went up in the village. The boy had disappeared from the public playground. Frantic, his mother alerted authorities. People searched the entire area but the boy was not located. Several heartbreaking weeks later, the child’s body was discovered deep in the woods.

For that funeral, Joshua received a special request of one hundred handkerchiefs. But the order of ten linen squares led to his uncharacteristic state of mind.

After the funeral of Hasya, the village remained vigilant until the kidnapper was apprehended. A woman living near the playground had taken the boy. She had suffered her share of past sorrows, her greatest an inability to become pregnant. After her husband deserted her, she hid from society.

The woman locked Hasya in a back shed. The child refused food, languished, and died. Panicked, she dragged the body far into the woods.

While awaiting trial, she was repeatedly abused by prison guards and found herself with child. The judge took this into consideration but upheld the life imprisonment sentence. Once incarcerated, the woman refused food, as had her young captive. She and the baby died during childbirth.

Joshua spent the day weaving funeral linen. He resented each turn of the loom. Into the ten handkerchiefs flowed bitter feelings for this woman who had stolen Hasya’s life.

Few people attended her wake. Four of the ten linens Joshua unleashed such venom upon were distributed. Three were discarded on the mortuary lawn. Only one captured sorrowful tears. Several dried rose petals were wrapped inside of that handkerchief.

The cloth lay in a dresser drawer for years, an unsuspecting culprit. The man who had once been married to the murderess experienced ongoing bad luck. Finally, in a drunken stupor, he fell during a rain storm and drowned in an inch of water.

No one claimed the body or requested that Joshua weave funeral linens for the man.

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W is for WALLONIA TO WISCONSIN #AtoZChallenge



For this year's challenge, my theme is The Fun in Writing. Each of my 26 posts for April is aimed at
illustrating fun parts of an author's day. A writer doesn't only write.
Creating a story or an essay requires research, revision, editing, and lots and lots of coffee and chocolate.


W is for Wallonia to Wisconsin

Wallonia is the name for the French Belgian area of the country, the southern part. The northern part is Flemish, and in the very center is the capital, Brussels. The Kingdom of Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French, and German. A number of non-official, minority languages and dialects are spoken as well. English is widely spoken throughout Belgium as a second or third language.

 

My father's ancestors moved from Mehaigne, Belgium to Mishicot, Wisconsin in 1856. In 2007, I took a trip to Belgium to visit relatives and experience the country of my heritage. 

 

For a virtual tour of this beautiful country, please visit the blog site that I had so much fun compiling after the trip, and will use as research material for future stories. Featured are Brussels, Gent, Bruges, and all the little historical towns of my ancestors; plus the swans, beer, chocolate, and Mannekin Pis: 

 

http://belgianbaugniet.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

Just south of Namur in the Ardennes village of Profondeville is the gracious Villa Gracia. The owner, Gisele, arranged a room for us for three nights in the hotel originally built as the secondary home of Belgium Army General Gracia.

 

 

 

Lacemaking in Brussels

 

 

 

Rooftops in Bruges (Brugge) built with stair-like roofs for easy exit in case of emergency

 

 

 

 



The Asymmetrical Branches of a Family Tree

The spreading branches and leaves on the limb of a family tree look a bit like this accompanying print of a cherry tree branch. Nothing about a cherry tree's branches or the branches of a family tree are perfectly symmetrical or coordinated.

For over ten years, genealogical research has been an important avocation for me.

Yesterday, in my interview with A.F Stewart (see her blog site: afstewart interviews gailmbaugniet ) I mentioned creating a family of characters for Pepper Bibeau, my novel’s protagonist. This enabled me to develop Pepper’s back-story while providing a full cast of characters to draw from for this and future novels in the series.

Using information from the vital records I had compiled over a ten-year period, I also wrote this short family history for my great, great grandparents who emigrated from French Belgium.

A FAMILY HISTORY TO PRESERVE MEMORIES, HOPES, AND DREAMS

Much has been written of the emigration of Belgian citizens and the hardships they endured to make a better life for their families.

Clement and Augustine had been married for fourteen years and had three young sons when they made the voyage by ship across the Atlantic Ocean in 1856. They left behind many loved ones: relatives, friends, and neighbors. Although Clement’s mother, Elizabeth, had died three years before the journey, his father, Andre, was still alive at the age of 82. Their youngest son, Frederic Joseph, was only eight months old when they sailed out of Antwerp. Before they were able to make a return trip to their homeland, Clement’s father died in 1858 and his sister, Marie Catherine, died in 1861.

Through these difficult times, Clement and Augustine found reasons to rejoice. The boys remained healthy and were able to labor alongside their father on the heavily wooded farmland located near the East Twin River, acreage Clement purchased in a quiet farming town in eastern Wisconsin.

In 1867, Clement and Augustine celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Within ten years, all of their sons were married, their youngest on the final day of 1877. Their celebrations included neighboring farm families who owned land adjacent to or near their homestead. Eventually, most of the neighbors became branches of the family tree as grandchildren married.

When Augustine died in 1890, she was interred in the burial ground behind the local church. Clement died two years later and was buried beside her. Their 17th grandchild, Arthur Thomas, was born the following year, 1893, in the same small town where Clement and Augustine settled decades earlier.

Least we forget the hardships they endured and the opportunities their actions offered to us, their descendents, it is important to record our family’s history. May their memories, along with their hopes and dreams, live in us and continue to inspire the constant striving for betterment imbued in the zealous Belgian spirit.

For pictures and articles about my visit to Belgium in 2007, visit this link: genealogy trip, Belgium, 2007