Victor Pootman and Marie Davids
By Mark R. Putnam
http://putmanfamily.org/
The Old Dutch Reformed Church of Aalburg, Gelderland, Netherlands
The immigrant ancestor of the Dutch –American Putman family was Johannes Pootman who
married Cornelia Bradt.
According to the naming pattern of the children of Johannes Pootman and Cornelia Bradt who
lived in Schenectady, New York, Johannes Pootman's father should have been named Victor
Pootman and his mother Maria Davidse.
A Victor Pootman and Maria Davidse lived in Aalburg, Netherlands, at the time that Johannes
Pootman was born in the Netherlands or about 1644.
It was family tradition that Johannes was a native of the Netherlands.
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Victor Pootman and his Maria Davids are perfect matches as the parents of Johannes Pootman,
and indeed Victor and Maria Pootman had a son named Jan [or Johannes] who was born in
1644 in Aalburg, the Netherlands.
His father Victor Pootman was a Latin school master.
Jan Pootman son of Victor Pootman and Maria Davids was baptized in 1644 at the Reformed
Church of Aalburg.
Maria Davids surname implies that her father was a David.
Maria's surname was likely patronymic.
There were few families with the name Pootman in Belgium and the Netherlands.
In Germany, the surname Pootman was commonly connected with the surnames Pothman,
Pottman, and Potman.
These names mean a person who lived by a pool, well, spring, or pit—a hollow.
Johannes Pootman's surname in America has been connected with both Poolman and Portman
interpretations.
Pootman in Belgium means portman.
The meaning planter or Nurseryman has also been suggested as “pote” in Dutch means to
plant.
If Victor Pootman was from Germany or his family was from a Germany, Victor’s surname likely
meant pitman.
Victor Pootman and Maria Davids were likely born about 1620.
Johaness Pootman’s father was by tradition called a Dominee that often means minister, but
the name Dominee may also mean treacher.
Below is a section from a Blaeu map of Brabant, Netherlands.
On the map, Wijk and Aalburg are shown to the west part in the picture just north of the city of
Heusden.
Also, on the map is the town of Berlicum to the southeast where the Ackerman family lived.
Johannes Pootman's son Arent Pootman married Elizabeth Ackerman.
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Johannes Pootman’s step-father-in-law was Jan Van Brockhoven.
Just west of Aalburg is located the town of Brockhoven.
In the southern part of the map is 'sHertogenbosch.
It’s name means duke's woods.
This in general was known as Hertogenbosch.
Aalburg was at the time of Victor Pootman a part of South Holland, Netherlands.
The Poot family also lived in South Holland, but they do not seem to have been relatives of the
Pootman family and did not use the given name Victor.
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Cut from a Bleau map of Brabant showing Wyck and Aalburg to the west
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Bleau map of South Holland again showing Wyck and Aalburg
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Close up of the previous Bleau map of South Holland showing Wyck and Aalburg near the
center
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