Joseph De Ruyver was born on January 25, 1859 (1). "Jef" left Laarne on April 12, 1871 and went to Ghent. On July 11, 1872 he went back to Laarne (Ascopstraat 33). In 1879 he was a servant when he had to join the army. Joseph stood 1 metre 640 mm and incorporated with the 13th line regiment (2). When his father died in 1882 (his mother had already died in 1874) he became the guardian of his youngest brother, Petrus.

Joseph married in Laarne on October 14, 1883 to Augusta Francisca Van Damme, born in Heusden on February 24, 1864. They moved to the Meersstraat in Laarne where Joseph was a workman. Augusta died in Laarne on December 21, 1892. Joseph was alone with his four children and had to remarry Melanie Deplu in Laarne on January 6, 1896. Melanie was born in Laarne on February 16, 1875. She was the daughter of Armand and Ursula Callebaut.

Jef went with his wife to the Rivierstraat 1 where he ran a small farm near the parish of Beervelde. During his second mariage, fourteen children were born and two of them died childhood. Joseph could write his name. Some years before he died he was deaf. Joseph died in Laarne (Beddeneedstraat) on October 27, 1936, 77 years old. His widow died in the same place on March 20, 1941.

Alphons was the oldest son of Joseph De Ruyver and Augusta Francisca Van Damme. He was born in Laarne on July 14, 1883. He was a farmer in Kalken when he had to join the army in 1903. Alphons stood 1 metre 670 mm and joined the army as a volunteer-cavalry-man for the period of three years (October 27, 1903 until December 31, 1907). In Beveren-Waas, a municipality near the province of Antwerp, he married Mathilde Maria Ivens on February 20, 1908. She was born in Beveren, daughter of Martinus and Maria Ludovica Bosman. Alphons worked as a dock-labourer. He and Mathilde had two sons but the happy father had to join the army a second time. During the First World War lots of Flemish young man died on "Flanders Fields" but Alphons survived the "Great War" (3). So Alphons lost his two sons. His wife died on May 7, 1956 and he died in Beveren-Waas on April 10, 1959, 75 years old.

His oldest son, Ren・瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹Joseph Antonius, was born in Beveren on July 27, 1908. He was a police-officer and married Julia Celestina Verreth. On December 13, 1938 Ren・瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹瘢雹got ill; nine days later he died in Antwerp.

Alphons' other son, Robert Martinus was born on August 11, 1911. He was a joiner and died unmarried in Beveren on March 6, 1937 from tuberculosis.

Emiel was the second son of Joseph De Ruyver. He was born in Laarne on July 31, 1885. In 1906, he worked as a farmer and stood 1 metre 72. He became also a volunteer-lancer (fourth regiment lancers) for the period from April 26, 1906 'til March 9, 1910. On August 1, 1914 he had to fight against the Germans, like his elder brother. In the 6th line regiment, he also survived the First World War and went back to Laarne with his father and stepmother. Some years later, Miel left Laarne and nobody heard anything about him. He went to France (Vendin le Vieille, Av. Bethune, Pas de Calais) and later on he turned back to Belgium where we found him in Boussu, Rue Georges Cordier 48 in 1949.

Celine was born on April 29, 1888 and died in childhood on May 7.

Maria Eliza was the youngest daughter of Joseph and Augusta Van Damme. She was born in Laarne on July 7, 1891. On December 11, 1909 she gave birth to Octavus De Ruyver; her son died in Laarne on December 9, 1911. On March 28, 1913 she married Gustaaf Maria Duquet, a weaver, born in Kalken in 1886. They had at least one daughter but Maria also left Belgium and went to France. Her husband died in Sint Amandsberg on August 25, 1945.

Charles Louis Joseph was the eldest son, born during the mariage between Joseph De Ruyver and Melanie Deplu. He was born in Laarne in the Rivierstraat on March 22, 1896. He didn't join the army (possibly because his elder brothers have been soldiers during the First World War?). Later on, he went to the province of Henegouwen where he worked in the blast-furnaces. Normally Charles Louis would have married but he fell ill and died from appendicitis in Marchienne au Pont at home on Rue Blasse, October 17, 1921.

Elodia was born on December 8, 1897. She died on April 30, 1903, 6 years young.

Maria Augusta was born in Laarne (Hollende) on September 5, 1899. She was a servant and left Laarne. Augusta went to Schellebelle and Wetteren (Boschkant). She bore three children and died in Laarne on May 20, 1945.

Her eldest son, Richard De Ruyver was born in Schellebelle on December 9, 1919. He worked in a warehouse. Richard married Marietta Margareta Gabriël in Wetteren on February 18, 1942. They had three children :

Etienne Emmanuel was born on October 12, 1951 and married Anita Valentina Bosch on March 3, 1972. Etienne and Valentina have two daughters :

Leslie (born in Wetteren Oct. 8, 1974) and Fleur (born in Wetteren June 29, 1983).

Like his elder brother, Dirk Jozef De Ruyver was also born in Wetteren, on March 21, 1955. Dirk married Monique Van Acker in Zele on May 20, 1977. They also had two children :

Brian ( born November 19, 1982) and Melinda (born December 27, 1987).

Karine Paula De Ruyver was born on May 21, 1959. She married Georges De Wilde in Wetteren on February 17, 1978.

Albert Petrus was the second son of Maria Augusta De Ruyver. He was born in Wetteren on September 2, 1923. He was a bargehand and left Wetteren. He moved to France where he married Louise Douez in Forest en Cambresis on March 15, 1943. Louise Douez died on September 14, 1945, so Albert remarried Aline Raverdy in Forest (France) on June 14, 1946. Albert, died in Du Cateau (France) on January 25, 1957.

Madeleine (daughter of Albert and Louise) was born in Du Cateau on January 25, 1944.  She went to Wetteren where she married on June 15, 1966 to René De Wilde.  

Pierre Richard (son of Albert and Aline) De Ruyver also went back to Flanders. He was born in Forest on November 28, 1950 and worked as a technician. He married Annie Van den Heede in Gent in 1974. During their marriage, one daughter, Nathalie Agnes, was born in Gent on February 4, 1980. Pierre Richard's father, 

Maria Elisabeth was the youngest child of Maria Augusta De Ruyver. She was born in Wetteren on July 5, 1925. She married Gaston Frans Van Hecke, a weaver, in Wetteren on November 14, 1942.

Hortense De Ruyver was born in Laarne (Rivierstraat) on August 9, 1901. She was a factory worker when she married Engelbert Haegens in Laarne on September 6, 1922. Engelbert was born in Kalken on July 10, 1899 and he also worked in a factory. Hortense and Engelbert lived in Kalken (Colmanstraat 30) where Engelbert died on October 25, 1967. Hortense died in Wetteren on May 1, 1989.

Honorine Delphine was born in Laarne (Rivierstraat) on October 13, 1902. She also worked in a factory. Honorine had a child on May 10, 1923, named Albert Emiel. Albert died in Laarne on February 14, 1924. Honorine married Gustaaf Jacobus De Wilde in Laarne on April 9, 1924. Gustaaf was born in Destelbergen on September 1, 1901 and he was a metalworker. They had nine children and moved to Wetteren where Honorine died on October 8, 1970. Her husband died two years later.

Achiel Augustin, called "Kapper Ruyvers" was a navy. He was born in Laarne on March 18, 1904. He married Maria Stephania Van Poucke in Laarne (1951), daughter of Leo and Mathilde Clementina De Wilde. Maria also worked in the factory in Laarne (textile). They lived in the Molenstraat in Laarne. Achiel died in Wetteren (in the hospital) on July 16, 1992 (88 years old) and his widow died on March 3, 1997.

Maurice Alfons was another son of Joseph De Ruyver and Melanie Deplu. He was born in Laarne (Rivierstraat) on May 9, 1905. Maurice was 48 years old when he married Anna Maria Leonia Van Overmeire, a widow, in Laarne on October 24, 1953. Working in a factory, he stayed in Laarne. Maurice died in Laarne (Meirhoekstraat 59) on July 31, 1972.

Magdalena Maria (called Madeleine) was born on May 17, 1906. She married as a 29 years old factory worker, Gustaaf Van Damme,born at Zeveneken. He was a weaver and Madeleine lived with her husband and children in the Rivierstraat. Gustaaf died on November 3, 1965 and his widow on July 24, 1977.

Renaat was another son of Joseph De Ruyver. He was born on October 1, 1907. He also was a factory worker and married Germaine Elisa De Clerck on August 14, 1946. She was born in Heist aan Zee on June 18, 1906 and was the widow of Victor Van Torre. First they lived in the Kasteeldreef in Laarne where Marianne Joseph De Ruyver was born on March 9, 1947. Later on, René left Laarne and they moved to Wetteren in the Kattestraat. René died in Wetteren on February 12, 1969 and Germaine died in Gent on February 23, 1976. Marianne didn't leave Wetteren where she married Willy Henri Van de Wiele on September 24, 1966.

Cyrillus was born on November 10, 1908 and died eleven days later.

Damasia Maria was born on June 30, 1910 and died on September 20.

Suzanna Magdalena Maria was born in Laarne (Hollenderee) on September 22, 1911. Jeanne, as she was called, was 20 years old when she married Seraphin Van der Cruyssen, born in Lochristi on January 18, 1909. Seraphin was a servant in a brewery and had fought against the Germans during the Second World War. They had one son. Jeanne died in Merelbeke on January 25, 1986. Seraphin died in Ghent on February 13, 1993.

Richard Karel Lodewijk was the youngest son of Joseph and Melanie Deplu. He was born on February 12, 1914. He was a furrier and married Elvira Theresia Petronella Wittoeck, a factory worker in Lokeren on May 27, 1939. She was born in Lokeren on July 8, 1906. Richard and Elvira had no children. They moved to Vorst (near Brussels) but turned back to Lokeren.

Elza Augusta was the eighteenth and youngest child of the 57-years old Joseph De Ruyver. She was born in Laarne (Rivierstraat) on January 9, 1916. She married Octaaf Petrus De Poorter, born in Laarne in 1901. Elza was an inn-keeper in Laarne. Her husband died in 1955 and later on she lived together with Constantinus Rogiers. They had one daughter, Sonja De Ruyver, born in Wetteren on November 20, 1958. Sonja married Remi Lebon and had one son. Since Constantinus Rogiers died (1991), Elza still resides in Laarne (Oostremstraat).

Sources :

(1). Modern Archief Laarne : Burgerlijke Stand 1796 - 1900; Gemeente Laarne     [return]

(2). Modern Archief Laarne : Huwelijksbijlagen Burgerlijke Stand ; Rijksarchief Beveren     [return]