One of the Hiemstra ancestors even had a statue built to honor him.
When the church of Surhuizum (The Netherlends) was built in 1617, Cornelis, then 14 years of age, jumped from one beam onto the other. People then began calling him “Kerkestapper” or church jumper. This story was written on his tombstone, but unfortunately it was destroyed over the course of time.
From that point on it was written in official records that a person was descended from the church jumper. For example, one record showed that a person receiving baptism in the Mennonite church in 1763 was a descendant of the “stapper” (jumper) and his wife. So we all are descendants of the “kerkestapper.”
In the village of Surhuizum a statue was erected many years ago in honor of Cornelis. I was able to photograph it when I visited there once.
Rog Hiemstra
harry spinder said,
January 5, 2010 at 4:05 am
Hallo .
I found your webslog an dyour notice about Cornelis Egberts Gaayckema. I am making a genelaogy about the family Spinder from Achtkarspelen (Friesland) and one of m ancestors is even Cornelis Egberts Gaayckema. Do you have more information about him?
Greetings from the netherlands
Rog Hiemstra said,
August 9, 2010 at 1:53 pm
Cornelis of the “Kerkestapper” (church jumper) was an interesting character in my family history. Several years ago I was able to visit a statue erected to honor his church beam jumping antics in the village of Surhuizum. It was quite an experience.