Seventh son

THE SEVENTH SON

By Margaret Roets

Felix was a farmer and shopkeeper. On the 6th of October in 1860 at the age of 33 he married Altruyde Juliana DeWitte who was 23 years old. A year later in December 1861 they had a son Richard, followed by another son Camillus in December 1864. Hector was born in March 1867 and another son Sedon Honore in October 1868. Polydor was born in May 1871 and Arthur in July 1873. Then on the 5th of November 1875 was born the seventh son, Leopoldus Amedeus, whose godfather was Leopold II, King of the Belgians! There was an eighth son Julian Amater born in July 1878 but, alas, no such honor for him.

A little more information about this custom...for that is what it is, a custom. A letter to the King brought an answer from R. Huenens, Adjunkt-Kabinetschef van de Koning. The custom has its origin between 1866 and 1873, shortly alter Leopold II became king and not too long before Leopold Claeys was born. From then until WWI there were 50-60 godchildren of the King each year. In the period between the two World Wars the number diminished to about 20-30 each year. Since 1960 the numbers dropped to their lowest point until in 1980 the zero point was reached. Recently, however, there are again 1 to 2 each year.



The stipulations are that the child be the seventh in an unbroken line of seven children of the same gender and coming from the same marriage. The seven children must all be living and the parents must be of good moral character. Regarding those parents of foreign origin, it is desired that they live the entire time in Belgium and that the majority of their children are born in Belgium. All these conditions apply equally for the Queen to be godmother of the seventh daughter.

In his early youth Leopold learned the trade of cabinet maker and maker of pool tables. He had a shop in Torhout, and there he married Idalie Modde on the 7th of January 1904. She was born in Zedelgem W. Fl. on August 12, 1881. They had a son, George Richard, born on the 21st of March in 1907 who lived but 2 years and 4 months. In 1911 on the 5th of July they had a daughter, Hilda. In 1913 Leopold, Idalie and Hilda emigrated to Rochester NY and in 1915 went on to Detroit. There Leopold worked as a pattern maker for the Wadsworth Co., a factory later taken over by Briggs Mfg. Co. A few years later, they returned to Belgium and Leopold opened a furniture store in Langemark. In 1929 they returned to the USA and he went back to work for the Briggs Mfg. Co. until he retired in 1944. Leopold's wife, Idalie, died on December 23, 1965. They had been married 62 years. In the meantime, Hilda married Charles Allemon on June 29, 1935. They had three children, Paul Henry born 14 April 1936, George born 5 Feb 1938 and Mary Ann born 20 Feb 1942. After Idalie died, Leopold went to live with Hilda and Charles until his death in December 1969 at the age of 94.

Paul, the eldest of Hilda's children is the proud possessor of the silver baptismal set given to his grandfather and has allowed us to display it on occasion. Paul and his wife, Marion (nee LaGrou) own a florist and garden center business on the east side of Detroit. They have five children, Ken, Larry, Kathy, Nancy, Benjamin and seven grandchildren. George the second son never married and died on the 4th of August 1987 in Detroit. Mary Ann is married to Martin Herzog and has two children, Dale and Stephen. They live in Arizona.

