Originally, it was thought this photo was a 1900 New Year’s celebration. However, in early 2007, Betsy Strand, great-granddaughter of Matthijs and Trijntje Vanderkloot, wrote:

"The photo of all the old VanderKloots is not a New Year’s Eve party, but a celebration of the golden anniversary of Mathias and Tryntje in 1901. Corine Van der Kloot Taylor told me about the 50th anniversary photo, as did my mother."

Matthijs and Trijntje Vanderkloot were married on November 15, 1851, in Zijpe, Noord Holland, Netherlands. Of their twelve children, 8 immigrated to Chicago in the 1880s. These were (in order of age and their spouses):

  1. Adrianus (Martha Tanis)
  2. Marinus (Maatje Boom)
  3. Aagje (Hendrik Kooger)
  4. Pieter (Bertha Dros)
  5. Matthijs (Matilda Deuzeman)
  6. Jannetje (John Eelman)
  7. Cornelius (Gertrude Kaan)
  8. Jan (never married)

All six sons worked at the Uncle Marinus’ South Halsted Street Iron Works, as did their father Matthijs.

Their 50th on November 15, 1901, was a Friday, thus there is a good chance the celebration and this photo were taken on the same day. Sometimes 50th anniversary photos just include the descendants, sons, daughters, and grandchildren.

The following have been identified:

  1. Matthijs Vanderkloot (age 74) is the fourth face to the viewer's right of the squeeze box player. He has a little girl on his lap.
  2. Trijntje Vanderkloot (age 69) is in the front row and to the viewer's right of her husband, Matthijs.
  3. Adrianus Vanderkloot (age 49) is standing on the viewer's extreme right. His face is fuzzy, but his mustache and bow tie can be seen. I can’t find his wife, Martha, nor any of his six children.
  4. Barbara Taylor wrote that her grandfather Peter Vanderkloot (age 41) is the man in the back row, 6th from the viewer's left, with his hand on his son, Al's (age 8), shoulder.

Dick Denker provided a Xerox of this photo to Dave Jordan after the 1988 Vanderkloot Reunion. It is unknown who has the original photograph. If the original can be found, a higher-quality image can be uploaded. If you would like to add information about this picture or provide a better scan, please contact Dave Jordan, a 2x great-grandson of Matthijs and Trijntje Vanderkloot. The Picture Reference Number is DJB39.