The most beautifull name from the Cnossen-Knossen familybook is without any doubt the one of Marie Rose. How she got her name and what her backgrounds are, is told in the story below from our board ‘nestor’ Pieter Cnossen AAB 5.291. Pieter wrote the story in 1993 after a request from his American cousins.

‘The history of our grandmother’ Marie Rose Venema thoe Kingma van Douma

She was born on 16-10-1851. She married our grandfather Pieter Cnossen (AAB5) and was his third wife. Her father was Feike Aukes Douma. He was born in Friesland on 23-5-1816. Her mother was Jeltje Jelles Wijma. She was born in Friesland on 3-10-1815. They lived on a big farm called ‘Westerein’, near to the city of Workum. Two sons, Auke and Jelle, and three daughters were born, Antje, Tjitske and Marie Rose. Between 1850 and 1860 there was a cattle plague in Friesland. All the cattle of the family Douma died and there was no insurance. Our greatgrandfather committed suicide (7-5-1860) and our great-grandmother died on 17-5-1862. So the young children became orphans. They had to live with uncles and aunts. We do not know where Marie Rose had her home. When she was a young girl she worked for the owner of her parents farm, who had no children.The owner was a nobleman, a member of the Frisian nobility: Venema thoe Kingma. Grandmother Maria Rose inherited this title, but only for herself, not for her children. Her older sister Antje married our Grandfather Pieter Cnossen, who was a farmer. Antje died young in childbirth. There were five young children. Maria Rose, who was a very lovely, kindhearted and also pretty young lady, took her sisters place and our grandfather Pieter married her. Ten children were born and so ‘Beppe’ Marie had to raise fifteen children. Before she died (1937) she lay a hand on my head and gave me her blessing. She was a very good Christian.

Winterswijk, June 1993, Pieter Cnossen, Grandson of Maria Rose Venema thoe Kingma van Douma