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I’ve spent many an hour staring at these faces, trying to deduce which van Vuuren sister is which. I recently discovered a labeled version of this photo, from the 100th Anniversary book of First Reformed Church of Roseland (right) and was thrilled to solve the mystery.

The caption identifies them thus: seated, left to right: Grietje (Mrs. John Nomes), Geertje (Mrs. Paul Tanis). Standing, left to right: Anna (Mrs. Dirk (Richard) DeKodk); Tryntje (Kate, Mrs. albert Hine, Mrs. Miendert Knysbert; Maageltje (Maggie, Mrs. Peter DeVos; Guurtje (Gertie, Mrs. John VanErden).

Glenn Hine also provided the same information, almost two years ago, and I completely forgot about it. Click here to see Glenn’s input.

According to both sources, I reversed our ancestor Kate (Tryntje) and her sister Maggie (Mageltje). Kate and Maggie are the two women in the center of the top row. The book inscription and Glenn identify Maggie as the woman on the left, and Kate as the one on the right. I had it the other way around.

Initially, I accepted this as more credible than my educated guess. But the more I sit with it, the more I think the inscription is wrong and I was right (a very Hine trait, I know). But have a look for yourself. Compare this photo of Kate later in life, with the one above, and with the later group shot. I think the church book must have been mislabeled.

So basically I have no new information 🙂