MEINDERT DOODES (Interesting!)

[pos...@vax.cord.edu]

This is wild! Last night I looked up the name DOODES in my Dutch
dictionary and found that "dood" or "dode" mean "dead" (!). While I
am neither a linguist nor a native Nederlands speaker, I think that in
German and sometimes Dutch the "-es" ending might signify possessive
somehow, or genitive (vaguely recalling my German here), or perhaps
some adjectival form.

Anyway, it might be that Maury ("in Virginia") has an ancestor named
"Dead." Maybe he could form a literary discussion group and call it the
DOODES Poets' Society? :-).

There are people on the net who know Dutch and linguistics better than
I do--perhaps they can clarify this?

Jim Postema
pos...@vax.cord.edu

[Dorothy Koenig]

All, Feel I have to jump in here to "resurrect" Meindert Doodes. I'm
quoting from page B-20 of the book "Goodloe Genealogy" written by Paul
Miller Goodloe II and published by the Gateway Press of Baltimore in 1982.
These Dutch immigrants obviously followed the patronymic naming system
[BTW isn't "Postema" a Friesian name?] --"Minor Doodes and Doodes Minor
were naturalized by the General Assemby of VA in 1673 (Henings Statutes).
The first named of these, Minor Doodes, or Mindant Doodes, as he was
elsewhere called, was father of the second named, and the apparent
discrepancy between their last names has puzzled some investigators and
caused some confusion of statement...At any rate there is no doubt that
Minor or Mindant [or Meindert]Doodes was the father of Doodes Minor and
that they came from Holland and were in Virginia at least as early as
1655. There is on record in Lancaster Co., VA, which then included
Middlesex, a deed, 1655, from James Gates, of Lancaster, planter, to Minor
Doodes, of Nancemond, mariner. That he was the master of a merchant
vessel is further evidenced by the seal on his will, which bears a ship of
Dutch fashion...The will of "Mindart Doodes" (which the clerk has endorsed
"Mr. Minor's will") was recorded in Middlesex in 1679. Doodes Minor lived
in Middlesex Co., VA and died there about 1694; his will was dated 13 Nov.
1694." From then on the family name was carried down in Virginia as
MINOR. MINOR descendants will find the GOODLOE book of interest. It
includes a discussion about the identity of Doodes Minor's wife. Was she
Elizabeth Garrett or Elizabeth Coche? The 18th-century minors are
connected with the Wallers, the Carrs, and the Goodloes (among others). My
particular interest begins with the marriage of Henry Goodloe to Elizabeth
Berry in Clark County, KY on 6 April 1801. This couple moved to Hopkins
County, KY. Elizabeth is the sister of my 3rd great grandfather, Lewis BERRY.
Dorothy <dko...@library.berkeley.edu>