Aug. '05 "New Page"

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From the mailbag.

After a long period of inactivity I have received information that requires me to completely re-evaluate the conclusions I have drawn during my research. It seems that the Begeman and Begemann name are the same with no distinction. Also it seems that in the early years ~1400 - 1500 there was clan sort of attitude, in that anyone joining the "family" assumed the name. This makes it very difficult to trace blood lines back beyond this era. In a mail from Robert Opitz he offers much enlightenment....

Dear Mr. Begeman!

My English isn't very good, but I'll try to explain the most important points about the Begemans in Betzen.
You can see some more informations on the website of Herbert Begemann from Maintal/ Hessen/ Germany under
"http://www.begemax.de"
At first we have a look around the "biggest Begemann-farm" in the little village of Betzen.
The oldest written document about the village Betzen is dated in the year 1362.
In this document are signs about this farm. But the first document with the "name Begemann" is later: It is dated in the
year 1450. "Hans Begemann aus (=from) Betzen" is the farmer on this farm.
The year 1450 is the first year you can find the written name "Begemann" in Germany/Lippe/Betzen.
In the year 1575 is a "changing" or a "difference": The name Begemann became Mittelbegemann (Middelbegeman).
Why? In Betzen are three families with the name "Begemann" in the same time, two bigger farms and a small one.
The farmers of the both big farms had the prename "Hans". Perhaps that explains the difference.
The biggest begemanfarm in 1575 is Hans Middelbegeman. The secondbiggest begemanfarm is Hans Niederbegemann
(In englisch: Underbegeman).
The third one is Berend Begemann, his Name changed later in Behrends, later in Berndsmeier. He left Betzen in
the beginning of the 20th century.
The last Middelbegeman died on 05.03.1904. He had only one daughter, she sold the farm in the year 1907.
The last both Niederbegemanbrothers died in the 19fifties. The farm was later sold in the year 1994.
Betzen was in old time a part of the "farmership Wendlinghausen", in german spelling: "Bauerschaft". Wendlinghausen
is a little bit bigger than Betzen.
Today we have only two old houses of the real Begemanns in Betzen.
This houses were grounded for the old farmers.
At first we have the "oldfarmerhouse" of Mittelbegemann, the date of grounding isn't clear, perhaps it was in
the 17th or 18th century, in the 19th century the house was completed at the southside.
The main farmhouse burned down in 1959, but we've an old photo of the year 1954.
There was a little cabin for food, too. This cabin was broken down in the 1980th, but the cabin was regrounded in the
neighbourvillage Humfeld. We have an old Photo of the year 1984, too.
The last one is the "oldfarmerhouse" of Niederbegemann. The date of grounding is 1855.
I'll send you the collection of the digitalphotos in the package of this mail in the format .tif.
Because my english isn't very well, i can make a cd for you with my begeman- and Betzen-collection in german language.
If you've somebody, who is able to translate the german language, you'll find out a little bit more about the first
begemans in germany. I think, today we have thousands of begemans around the whole world, but there is no more a
begeman in the village of Betzen - only old houses... If you want to have a cd in microsoft-word, i can send you
a letter to america with the whole story of the village Betzen on cd. It is a actual collection of all old farms in
this little village and historical dates.

Greetings, your Robert Opitz