• Hendrik (Hindrick) lived in a time when surnames were not a compulsory aspect of Dutch life. For his birth and the birth of all his children he is recorded only as Hindrick Harms (which is short for Harmszoon or son of Harm/Harmen/Herman).
• There are no known surviving betrothal or marriage records for the early 1700s, the period during which he would have married his wife, Roeloffien Geerts Bisschop.
• In tax (hardstedengeld) records for 1742, 1754 and 1764 he is recorded both as Hendrick Moes and Hendrick Harms Moes. These same tax records show that his father, Harmen Jans, used the surname Moes in various forms (Mooskoocker, Moeskoecker, Moes).
• By 1810, when surnames become a legal requirement in the Netherlands, the births of Hendrik’s grandchildren are registered using the surnames Moes, Seunen and Scholten. So Hendrik is the originator of the Seunen, Seunenga, Zeunen and Scholten families in Smilde.
• There is no known record of why these surnames came into use. One theory rest on the interpretation of Seunen as a nickname derived from the old Germanic word Söna (pronounce as Seuna) which means “expiation” (judgement).The name Scholten (Schulte, schout) refers to the occupation of sheriff, so appearance of the family names Scholten and Seunen could both be taken to indicate that Hendrik was the local sheriff. Unfortunately the records of office for this time period are missing and presumed lost.
• The last known record of Hendrik is the 1764 tax roll. By the time of the next taxation in 1774 he is no longer listed, and so has presumably died.

Hendrik Harms Moeskoker

Born:

Smilde Janurary1689, parents Harm Jansen and Aeltijen Hindricks

Baptised:

Diever 20/01/1689

Married:

Diever c.1714 with Roeloffien Geerts (aka Bisschop)

Children:

1. Geert Hendriks Moes(koker) (Smilde 31.10.1714 - Smilde bef.1764)
2. Harm Hendrik Moes(koker) (Smilde 1.03.1716 - ? )
3. Jan Hendriks Moes(koker) (Smilde 26.12.1717 – died bef. 1719)
4. Jan Hendriks (Moes(koker) (Smilde 5.02.1719 – dief. 1720))
5. Jan Hendriks Moes(koker) (Smilde 21.04.1720 - ? )
6. Lucas Hendriks Seunen (Smilde 23.08.1722 – Smilde 1765) Seunen or Seunenga descendants
7. Berend Hendriks Moes(koker) (Smilde 8.10.1724 – Smilde 9.03.1806)
8. Grietje Hendriks Moes(koker) Smilde 3.11.1726 - ? )
9. Jannes Hendriks Seunen (Smilde 31.10.1728 – abt. 1784) Seunen and Zeunen descendants
10. Klaas Hendriks Moes(koker) Smilde 26.12.1730 - ? )
11. Hendrik Hendriks Scholten (Smilde 17.12.1735 - ?) Scholten descendants

Died:

Smilde between 1764 and 1774