SOMSEN - GENEALOGY

"ALL OVER THE WORLD"

FAMILY MAILING nr. 2
JUNE 1996

NOTE: SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING FAMILY BOOK!!! (20 Aug 96)

In our family mailing nr. 2 (June 1996) we offered the opportunity to order a family-book by transferring $ 60.--. to our bankaccount. Later on unfortunately, we learned that our advice resulted in some financial effects:

1. Extra bank expenses for you: about $ 30.--.
2. Extra bank expenses for us: about $ 15.--.

So at the end there are two losers, you would have paid about $ 90.--., and we would have received only $ 45.--.

That's why we do advise at this moment: DO NOT ORDER ONE OR MORE FAMILY-BOOKS!

We are looking for a better and cheaper solution and we will inform you about it in our next Family-Newsletter (nr.3), which is still planned for November 1996.

Warmest regards, also on behalf of Theo. Derk

Dear member of the Somsen family,

By this second family mailing, we would like to inform you about the progress we have made and about the things that are going to happen. If there are still any questions after reading this mailing, please call, write or e-mail.

THANKS
At first we would like to thank all our relatives who cooperated by sending personal data, new names and addresses, photos, documents and stories. It was very stimulating for us: all your efforts, devotion, enthusiasm and best wishes. And even your phone calls at 06:00 in a Dutch-morning!

RESULTS
At this moment, and as a result of all your contributions, our database contains the names of more than 3,500 relatives since the year 1600. Relatives with the name Somsen or with another family name. We think that's about over 95% of our family members.

PHOTOS a.s.o.
We have looked at more than 1,000 photos. Wonderful. But, unfortunately, we are not going to make the ultimate Somsen Photo-Album (perhaps a good idea for another relative), but we are producing the history of our family. Therefore, we have to select these photos out of a historical point of view. We are in contact with several relatives who sent us copies of photos because of the fact that we need the original photo or a copy from an original photo made by a professional photographer. The quality of the family book demands the best. But, as promised in our first family mailing, we will return the photos. We are planning to return them before June, 1997, because until then our publisher will need them.

DATA
We have sent quite a lot of Family Sheets (Dutch: Gezinsblad) to many of our relatives asking them to complete the missing information. And they have. Thanks to them, we have built up as wonderful family data-base. But: we are still looking forward to som Family Sheets. So, if you haven't responded until now, please return your Family Sheet(s) as quickly as possible!

THE FAMILY-BOOK
We have found a very qualified publisher for our family book. This publisher from the Elsevier-Reed concern has a reputation based on publishing family books. So be assured that the book will be of great quality, which means a.o. it will last for centuries.

We are able to inform you about some facts concerning the family-book:
- limited editions of 1,000 copies
- very high quality (hardcover, paper, photos and printing)
- 300 pages or more
- 150 illustrations or more (photos, documents a.s.o.)
- language: both English and Dutch. The Dutch-concept will be translated by two of our relatives, professional English teachers:
* Mrs. Marianne de Groot-Somsen (1956)
* Mr. Johan Somsen (1944)
- publishing date: June, 1997
- price $60. (post free)
So, the book will be published and sent to you before the reunion!

You can order this family-book by transferring $60. to our bank account:
SOMSEN-GENEALOGY
ABN-AMRO IJsselmuiden accountnr. 60.24.47.364
Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Swiftcode: ABNANL2A

We advise you to order more than one family-book: for your children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

THE GREAT REUNION
On August 14, 1847, the first member of the Somsen family emigrated to the USA. Her name: Aaltjen Somsen from Aalten (married to Dirk Jan Rikkers). 150 years after that, in August, 1997, we would like to organize a reunion in her and our native village, Aalten (hamlet IJzerlo). We received a lot of enthusiastic reactions for this idea from Dutch, American and other relatives. So, this reunion will be organized in 1997.

Please note the following dates:
- August: Saturday 9 - Sunday 10 (center activities)
- August: Monday 11 - Saturday 16 (following activities)

At the moment, we have got a lot of great ideas for this reunion. Many of them are very intriguing. To select and to realize these ideas, we have installed a Reunion Committee on Saturday, June 22, 1996. If you might have wishes or your own ideas about this reunion, please contact:
Mr Dick Somsen (1940)
Postbus 177
7150 AD Eibergen
The Netherlands
phone: +31 545 472517

THE SOMSEN VIDEO
One of our relatives, Ben Somsen (1931), a professional video-producer, is going to make a family video. This video will be presented at the reunion and can be acquired by anyone who is interested. And, of course, the reunion itself will also be filmed.

THE SOMSEN FAMILY ON THE INTERNET
More and more members of our family have an e-mail address. But just one of them has put all the family information he gathered on his home page on the electronic highway:Internet. If you would like to look at this information, or if you want to add/change any information, please contact:
John Howard Somsen Jr. (1942)
35 Springdale Avenue
Holyoke, MA 01040-3421
USA
phone: + (413) 538-7724
e-mail: ness@crocker.com
Somsen Home Pages: http://www.crocker.com/~ness/somsen.html

OTHER FACTS ABOUT THE BOOK, THE REUNION AND THE SOMSEN HOSPITALITY
According to the returned Family Forms, we may expect that:
- over 300 family books will be ordered
- over 400 relatives will attend the reunion
- over 100 Dutch relatives have offered to be host-families
Great, great!

WANTED
Of course we still have some unsolved problems regarding some names and addresses. o, if you know anything about the following names (e.g., the names of their parents or their actual addresses) please let us know!
- Mr. Steve Somsen, living somewhere in Fresno, CA 93701
The US Postal Service returned our mailing to the following relatives: they had moved.
- Mr. Lee Somsen, 2191 Babor Blvd., Costa Mesa, CA 92627
- Mrs. Joy Somsen, 8953 Park Plaza Dr., Elk Grove, CA 95624
- Mr. Brett Somsen, S. 5th Avenue, Pocatello, ID 83201
and ............... 265 1/2 S. Holmes Avenue, Shelly, ID 83274
- Mrs. Norene Somsen, RR2 Pocatello, ID 83202
- Mrs. Marilyn Somsen, 3906 Forsythe Avenue, Monroe, LA 71201
- Mrs. Barbara Somsen, 1503 S. Merton Street, Aberdeen, SD 57401
- Mr. John D. Somsen Jr., 2119 Marigold Street, Pocatello, ID 83201
- Mr. Jay Somsen, 940 Wandell Street, Blackfoot, ID 83221
and ............... 1857 12th Street, San Luis Obispo, CA 93402
- Ms. Janet Somsen, P.O. Box 57962, Salt Lake City, UT 84157
- Mr. Drew Somsen, 5617 W. Buckskin Road, Pocatello, ID 83201
- Mr. Bryce Somsen, 35 S. Main Street, Logan, UT 84321
- Mrs. Emily J. Somsen, 321 S. Poplar Avenue, Apt. 12, Pierre, SD 57501
- Mrs. Gina Somsen, 3853 42nd Avenue S., Lake Worth, FL 33461

NEXT FAMILY MAILING
Our next family mailing (nr. 3) will be published in November, 1996!

Warmest and good wishes from

Theo and Derk Somsen